Fallen Priestess
by KShade
Summary: The White Bull forsakes Neferet. Neferet creates a new vessel, Xynox, to protect her, as she's newly mortal and leaves Tulsa. When the White Bull's new prodigy, Cyrce decides to stir trouble and finds Neferet, and an god takes an interest in her, what will the newly mortal vampyre do? And when a vengant Zoey turns up, hellbent on avenging Heath, can the mortal Neferet survive?
1. Prologue

**So, actually, I wrote the second chapter first, here… around Valentine's Day, because it was the first one I've spent single since seventh grade, and I didn't want to feel like a complete loner. This story **_**isn't **_**going to be anything like my last Canon character/OC story. I'm sure some of you remember that absolute drivel. It's also not going to be terribly romantic, because this is Neferet we're talking about. She's not a hearts and flowers kind of vampyre, so be warned of that. I'm also not sure if there'll be smut in this, but if there is, it won't be till later, so just because you see "M" in the summary, doesn't mean that's the reason.**

_Shortly after Hidden_

Neferet didn't want to understand what the white bull was telling her. This couldn't be. _Couldn't be._

She swore she saw a smirk on his face, not that that made any sense, because he was a bull. "I believe you have confused me greatly, my lord," she spoke in a cold, emotionless voice that sounded too contrived. Neferet was trying to keep her emotions internal, trying not to show weakness by breaking down and crying.

"_That is a lie,"_ he slammed his cloven hoof into the floor of the penthouse "_You know exactly what I speak of. You have been disappointment after disappointment, Neferet. You failed to kill the old woman. You failed to kill Zoey Redbird. You failed to even remain in control of yourself, or your broken vessel," _his voice was abrasive to the inside of Neferet's head, and she just wanted it out. She knew what he would say, what he would do. "_I have found someone more worthy of the power I gave you, and I do not intend to waste it on you any longer,"_ Neferet gasped, expecting him to leave her with _something_ "_I am not your ridiculous goddess. I can rescind a gift if I please. And it will please me very much," _he laughed brutally before Aurox staggered in, being dragged by tendrils of Darkness. He looked utterly defeated.

"What are you doing to my vessel?" Neferet allowed her voice to betray a tiny fragment of emotion, only shock, in her normally hard voice. Internally, she was a riot of emotions, more than she would ever admit. She felt betrayed and used and that alone was hard enough for her to cope with, without all the other things. The betrayal stung, like nails being ripped along her ivory skin, but it was the rage that consumed her, burning like a flame in the blackened expanse of her heart, showing like fire in her emerald eyes.

Now the bull was definitely smirking "_You shall see, Neferet_" he took a purposeful stride toward Aurox, allowing Aurox to panic, to try to run. Neferet knew that he wouldn't be able to escape. She watched, morbidly curious, as The Darkness slit his throat. Aurox flailed blindly, trying to escape the inhumane sharpness but the tendril slashed across his neck, freezing cold contrasting with the burning pain. Not one drop of his tainted blood hit the ground. The cursed tendrils caught every drop, as he slowly died. Aurox tried to call the beast, but it was to no avail. The beast belonged to Darkness, and Darkness wouldn't fight itself. He tried to scream, but all he could manage was a sick gurgling noise.

Neferet tried not to scream. She knew he would do something to show his displeasure, but she hadn't expected extreme matters like the sacrifice of her vessel. She'd contemplated this before, particularly when Aurox became Heath to Zoey. She paused in her thought right there. Aurox was Heath, and when it had been discovered, when she'd finally wounded that damned Zoey, he'd given Zoey his blood. Neferet realised that the white bull had done her a favour, wounding her enemy. She wondered how Zoey was enjoying the third time that imprint was broken. Neferet hoped it hurt like no other pain ever could, save the mirror. She hoped Zoey would feel the pain she'd felt.

Back at the House of Night, Zoey screamed in agony. She was about to go to bed, and Stark had just returned to the room, when it happened. She first felt a rush of fear, and then a cold sensation that gave her goosebumps. Without a warning, she felt her neck be slashed. No, not hers, Heaths! She screamed, writhing in agony as a confused Stark tried to calm her down. She cried out as the agony diminished and she realized that their imprint was broken. He was either dead, or on the brink of death. Zoey sobbed into Stark's shoulder, and vowed revenge on Neferet, who'd taken Heath away from her a second time, after she'd just reclaimed him. Stark held Zoey, not asking what was wrong, because he knew when she needed to talk about it, she would. He wondered why everyone important to Zoey seemed to die. He just hoped he wasn't the next one.

Neferet felt tendrils of Darkness running over her body. Then there was a flash of fiery pain as she felt a tearing sensation, and collapsed to her knees. It was like being pulled apart, disassembled systematically. Neferet screamed, causing Aurox to wince. He didn't like her, not in the slightest, but he also didn't like watching other people in pain, not on what could well be his last breath. The White Bull laughed, as he tore away Neferet's immortality, took her powers back. Aurox wondered why he was here and wished beyond all else he wasn't as, for the second time that week, Neferet cried bloody tears. He wished he could spend the last moments of his life with Shaylin, who'd understood him as Aurox better than anyone. Even spending them as Heath would be preferable to watching Neferet being tortured as the last thing he would ever see.

The pain stopped abruptly as it had started as the White Bull pondered what to do now. Neferet was connected to the Darkness deeply enough that it would kill her for him to remove it. It wasn't that he'd grown attached to the former Tsi Sgili, it was that he saw death as merciful. Nyx would reincarnate Neferet and free her from everything she was forced to remember in this incarnation. If Neferet was to die, he wanted it to be at someone else's hands, so at least she could suffer a little longer. He liked suffering, particularly from those who've failed. And the Darkness would return to him if, when she used it. And he was sure she would use it, maybe even to kill that damned Zoey she obsessed over.

Neferet breathed a sigh of relief as the agony subsided. She thanked whatever deity would hear her for freeing her from it, wondering absently if she was dead. Slowly, feeling returned to her body, disappointing her. What did she have to live for now? As she regained control of her body, she looked around, seeing that Aurox was still bound up in the corner. Not only bound up, but holding that damned necklace. Each smooth, white pearl spoke of the life she'd left behind. How had Aurox obtained it? It was then that the truth hit her, it was the bull's doing. He was playing with her mind. She wondered if he'd ever free her from this, or if it was going to be how she died, trapped in her past.

"_you're awake. Good, you need to be. We have something to settle between us," _Neferet distinctly heard not only her younger self's voice, but her father's as well. She tried to move, but it was as though her limbs were full of led. She couldn't move. The white bull felt smug, he'd done this to the once proud Tsi Sgili. Just as much as he'd made her from the ashes of Emily Wheiler, he could break her. Her mind had deteriorated and unravelled, because of pain and a few mere hallucinations. He looked down at her disdainfully. She wasn't worthy, not in the slightest.

Aurox looked at Neferet, remembering when he served her, when she'd been Priestess, Goddess. He Remembered the Neferet he'd revered, how in control she'd seemed, and then at the woman who was limply sobbing on the ground, letting each drop of blood spatter on the floor beside her porcelain face that was all too pale. She whimpered words that made no sense, not to anyone. The last thing she uttered before he finally passed on was "sorry" Aurox liked to think she was apologising to him. He'll never know, now.

Neferet felt her limbs fall back under her own control and sat up, bracing herself for more hallucinations. Nothing came. The White Bull laughed sadistically. Neferet stood up, taking deep breaths and trying to regain control. She looked to see Aurox's body, lying crumpled on that same corner as she'd last seen him in. Her heart sank. She was alone now, alone and mortal, powerless.

Then the bull was gone, but the Darkness feeding off Aurox's blood remained. Neferet looked at it disdainfully, befre getting an idea. She needed something to protect here, and there was Darkness her, Darkness enough for the incantation.

"From death and error you are born  
it is a broken pact I've sworn.  
With the power I have I bid you to hear my voice,  
though like with Aurox, there's always a choice.  
and complete my pledge tonight  
that you never leave me vulnerable to the servants of light!" This time, the Darkness hesitantly sucked Aurox's broken body into its column. There was no glow that resembled the White Bull's coat, there was only a dark flicker an Neferet completed the spell. Little did she know what the flicker was.

Nyx hoped this would work. She was giving it everything she had, and sending a soul whose light shined brightly enough to hopefully help the fallen priestess. Nyx hoped that it would be enough to save her.

"A window within your soul to see with true sight  
light and magick to save a daughter of night  
Have courage and strength for you can decide  
And see the things that she tries to hide  
I, your goddess will watch from above  
if you can show her what it is to love."

Neferet finally glimpsed her vessel. He was tall and leaner than Aurox had been, not covered in as much muscle. His eyes were the colour of the night sky, and looked at her, taking in his new master. His hair matched his eyes, black and straight, and sort of mussed, as though someone had run their hands through it. Just as Aurox had, he got down on his knees and looked up at her expectantly. Neferet hesitated only a moment before she named him "I shall call you Xynox, for your predecessor," she said, deliberately.

"Yes, Mistress, I am Xynox," he whispered, his eyes like midnight boring into her mossy green eyes. He saw lines of red like slashes on her face, but he saw them as battle scars, not as tear tracks. She was truly a goddess. From her auburn locks to her beautiful face, adorned in blue, knot-like tattoos, she was the epitome of beauty. His eyes travelled lower, seeing her body, hugged in a midnight blue top and tight black pants. She was a goddess. Neferet noticed the way his eyes canvassed her, the way he practically undressed her with his eyes. It disarmed her at first, but then she decided that was good. If he desired her, he would stay, despite being cracked and having options to leave.

"I am not Mistress, I am Neferet to you." She spoke wearily. Neferet felt tired and wanted nothing more than to turn her brain off. She was fried from the hallucinations, from the pain and becoming mortal had taken a toll on her. Neferet felt centuries older than her hundred thirty some years. Xynox was shocked that the goddess had a name. He watched her walk away, feeling the danger before he saw it. He grabbed Neferet's slender shoulders and jerked her onto the balcony, just as the penthouse caught fire.

Neferet let out a cry of shock as she felt a pair of hands jerk her back, until she felt heat radiating off the flickering flames that burned only in select parts of the room. They spelled out a message burning into her floor "this is for Heath,"

After that, Neferet pulled some things into a bag, clothing for her and Xynox, ID, her bank card, credit cards and that sort of thing. Then, she climbed down the fire escape, motioning to Xynox to follow, got into her car, a rather inconspicuous black car and drove to the airport. She would sell the car to Dallas. In the car, she explained what was going on to Xynox. Xynox took the information in, in shock. Neferet left out that she was mortal. She had to remain a goddess in his eyes. The first flight she saw was to San Francisco. Neferet bought two tickets, using the school ID card she'd made for Aurox to obtain Xynox's ticket.

_Two weeks later_

Neferet had settled into San Francisco quite nicely, even finding a club that she liked to go to. She'd had papers made for Xynox so she could travel with him if need be. It was a few months later, in San Francisco that things became complicated once more for the deposed Tsi Sgili.

**Well, this is very different from my normal writing style, and truth be told, I'm not as fond of this prologue as I am of chapter one. But, this is kind of necessary for that so, whatever. The rest will be better…**


	2. The one Place I still Rule

**So, this is a six months later… **

"Come with me," Neferet spoke, her voice sounding seductive and incredibly controlling. Her black dress fit tightly to her, leaving nothing for Xynox's imagination. Dipping low in a vaguely heart-like neckline, It allowed him to view her more than ample cleavage. He had to struggle to look up, but once he did, he was enthralled by her emerald eyes. _Those would look better without the darkness flitting through them,_ he thought. She smirked and ushered him through the door, not speaking any more, rather, allowing him to drink in the appearance of her sumptuous ashen skin, and the way the dress hugged her curves. The Marks on her face were even beautiful to the eyes. The way the interlocking lines of blue fit together into Celtic knots was… mesmerising to Xynox.

Neferet knew this. She knew that this vessel was no less cracked that Aurox had been. She was counting on the way Xynox found her attractive, and she'd admit, the dress was definitely playing it up. Not to mention the heels she'd donned. They made her several inches taller and definitely enhanced her silhouette. Xynox was openly fixated on her as she drove (glad Dallas had bought her old car, finally so she could get this one), and she knew that all too well. His gaze on her was like heat, was like a sensation of hands running over her. She'd admit, it wasn't completely unwanted, despite everything. Her master, the white bull had forsaken her, and she needed someone, something in her life. She told herself Xynox was only a means of holding power, a means of self-validation. That was also why she was taking him to the club. It was her place. It made her feel empowered. She only brought him because she knew it wasn't wise for a beautiful, newly mortal woman to be alone in the streets after dark.

As Neferet pulled the car over near a dark alley, Xynox wondered where she was taking him. "Neferet?" he asked "Where exactly are you taking me?"

Neferet smirked "The only place I still rule," she replied ambiguously. Xynox ran his hands through his straight ebony hair, forcing his equally dark eyes to meet her emerald eyes. He stepped out of the car, his muscular form still a good three inches taller than Neferet, despite the heels she wore.

"Do not let the people here take you anywhere without me," she ordered, "you don't know what will happen, and that is for the best," she explained, her cool tone of voice not making him even remotely reassured. Xynox had seen what she was capable of before Darkness left her. He knew she was still that person; she just didn't have the powers anymore. He couldn't allow himself to forget that she couldn't feel love, nor true happiness, nor most things he took for granted. Though he should've been scared off by that, he found it sad. And he wanted to take her pain away. There had been times where she'd emanated anguish so strongly he'd felt sick, but those times were few and far between.

They arrived at what looked like an average door, on the side of a building with broken windows. There was a black rose painted on the door. A slit in the top of the door opened, and a pair of watery blue eyes fixed on Xynox.

"Password?" a gravelly voice demanded.

Neferet pushed Xynox out of the way "He's with me," she said sharply, willing the doorman to recognize her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Nightshade. I didn't see you there," he opened the door, chastising himself for not seeing Neferet.

"Nightshade?" Xynox asked, feeling confused.

Neferet met his eyes, willing him to understand, "I go by an alias here: Saraneth Nightshade, more often than not, just Nightshade. I cannot have people know me for who I am, or they would flee".

A tall, slender man, with black hair that had flame red highlights grabbed Neferet's hand, kissing it intimately "Where have you been, Shade?" he asked as Neferet and Xynox descended the stairs

"Not going to happen," Neferet replied coolly as the passed him and continued town the winding staircase. With the thrumming beat of one of her favourite songs pounding through the room, she entered. Xynox stayed near to her as he acquainted himself with the surroundings. There were lights flashing everywhere. People danced to the beat of the song on the dance floor, their writhing bodies glistening in the flashing lights from a sheen of sweat that broke out over their skin. Xynox noticed that the majority of them were dressed in revealing garments, corsets, leather, as little as they could get away with. Near the floor was a bar, where a tattooed man talked amicably with the patrons. There were also rooms, curtained off by lush red velvet curtains. The vaulted ceiling also revealed a balcony, which had another doorman guarding it.

Neferet was in her element, the voice of the singer relaxed her. "My voice just echoes off these walls…" she sang along, walking in, feeling the bluish lights hit her. This was home. The only thing she wasn't comfortable with was the way people were staring at Xynox. She didn't like that the women were already sizing him up. The song ended, and the DJ announced "Nightshade! Good to see you here! We were starting to miss your presence! This song goes out to you!" He turned on a song that started out with a low whirring, and then a mechanized- sounding drumbeat. Then guitar came in with high pitched, staccato rhythms. Neferet knew this song all too well.

Xynox found it just too loud and kind of odd, like it was on a minor chord, or something similar. Twins with long, dark hair, one with blue eyes, one wearing red contacts, approached. They were shorter and slimmer than Neferet, and looked little older than twenty. The one with red eyes also wore a red tube top, and a black skirt. The one with blue eyes wore a pair of ripped black jeans with chains and a slashed up concert shirt. The one with the eerie red eyes grabbed his arm, and Neferet glared down at her disapprovingly. "Now, now, Bait. We mustn't touch what isn't ours," she gave Bait a look that showed her displeasure.

Reluctantly, Bait let go. "Come on, Switch," she flipped her hair and left.

"Bait and Switch," Neferet explained "once you get sucked in, they'll never let you free".

Xynox turned around to see the red-eyed one, Bait still staring at him, looking voracious. He shivered "Do you want to dance?" he asked, timidly.

"I don't dance," Neferet said carefully. Then, she saw a familiar face. "Ah, Dividos. How nice to see you," her face lit up as she greeted the god. Dividos was the god of anarchy, and he was only here when he knew Neferet would be. Neferet knew he wanted to give her the power of Anarchy and all that, but she wasn't fond of the thought of subjugating herself to a very sociopathic (and very male) god.

The man made his way over, taller even than Xynox. Dividos as she had called him, was lithe and had purple eyes that looked like they knew something. He had hair much like Xynox's, except that he'd smoothed it down, and cut it so it hung jaggedly in front of his face. He also had a tattoo on his bicep; it was basically a huge circle, black with red edges. Inside it were slashes of white that formed two half circles that only barely intersected at their peaks. Above that was a red "t" like thing, with one arm pointing down and one arm pointing up. There was a slash below the 'arms', and a line of red fog coming off both the top and the bottom. Xynox wondered what it symbolised.

Dividos responded after taking a slow, thorough look at her. "My offer still stands, Saraneth. We could be great. Legendary even," I wondered what he had offered her.

Neferet had a stare down with him, which ended in her letting out a peal of laughter "You haven't changed" she said dryly, frustrated that he refused to give her time to think "This is Xynox, Xynox, this is Dividos," she made introductions, quickly, not telling either who the other was to her.

"It's impossible to wait until the light,  
Cause, I'm already gone,  
If you bet on me, you've won," Neferet stopped to sing along with the end of the song that had been played in her honor, ending any conversation.

"With a voice like yours, it is truly a shame," Dividos mused, "What is this Xynox to you?" his eyes pierced into hers.

Neferet didn't have a response to the man's question. _Xynox is my warrior _made her sound vulnerable, _He is my consort _would not put her in Dividos' favor, and she needed him to help her. Calling him a friend may cause trouble with Xynox, however.

"He is who he is," Neferet replied ambiguously.

Xynox felt uncomfortable. Why didn't Neferet want her friend to know who he was? He wondered if it wasn't so much him as Dividos being shifty… Maybe the tattoo was a sign of his gang involvement. He hoped it was only for that. Neferet then escorted him up to the balcony, again, getting past the doorman simply because she was Neferet. There was a girl with hair so white it practically glowed and blue eyes so dark they looked ominous.

"How does it feel to be second?" the girl demanded, smirking as she said it, in a slightly nasal voice.

"How does it feel knowing you're only a pawn to such a fickle master?" Neferet retorted, refusing to back down so easily.

"I've always been more of a queen, a Tsi Sgili queen," the girl retorted, "Not that you'd know what that's like, Neferet," she drawled out her name, angering Neferet, making her reconsider Dividos' deal. Anything to destroy that girl's smug sense of superiority.

Neferet pushed the taller girl against the wall "I've always been stronger than you, Cyrce," she snapped.

Cyrce pushed Neferet back like an errant child and rounded on Xynox. She pulled up her white dress, looking like the polar opposite of Neferet, and radiating a frigid sensation. She pushed Xynox against the wall and kissed him. Xynox could only describe the sensation as frigid. Like she was made of ice as she tore at his mouth with her own, holding him there with strength that wasn't proportionate to her willowy body.

Neferet felt enraged. There was no more suitable word. She had no Darkness to throw at Cyrce (As she was rationing the little she had left after making Xynox), and she would've sold her blackened soul then and there to be able to hurt her. A possessive feeling swept through Neferet, Cyrce had taken away her calling, taken away her immortality and now she was trying to take away her vessel. Neferet signaled to the DJ to play something new, because the song that was playing now wasn't doing anything for her. The intoxicating voice of Jonathan Davis singing about being alone didn't soothe her but it gave Neferet something decent to listen to.

"I will make it go away  
Can't be here no more  
Seems this is the only way?  
I will soon be gone  
these feelings will be gone," she sang along. Finally, Cyrce disentangled herself from Xynox. His lip was bleeding. The smell hit Neferet, adding insult to injury. She had not known how attractive the blood of a vessel could smell. She reached for him. Cyrce tutted and waved her finger at Neferet and dragged Xynox to the dance floor.

Neferet told herself she didn't care. She knew she didn't care. She sang along to the song, refusing to watch Cyrce manhandle her warrior. Neferet had to find Dividos. Dividos could give her Anarchy, he could empower her so she could show Cyrce who she was messing with. The song ended.

A loud, alarm-like riff came on, and Neferet sat back to collect her thoughts. She would let five songs pass, so she didn't appear desperate. Surely, Xynox couldn't get into too much trouble in fifteen minutes.

Xynox wasn't sure why Neferet had let Cyrce pull him off, but she sure as hell was not enjoying this. For one thing, Cyrce was cold. She exuded a chill that cut deep to the bone. Not to mention the way she had octopus hands. Xynox looked up at Neferet, and he saw that the look in her eyes _burned_. Neferet fixed her eyes on Cyrce and never let them leave her. Xynox had never seen hatred this strong in her eyes… not since she left Tulsa six months ago. Her voice also carried from the balcony "I don't want you, I don't need you;  
With Blind eyes I see right through you  
I was crawling, always falling,  
You don't know what I have been through!" It was enchanting, but the words stung him. Was she trying to tell him something? Cyrce pulled him closer, stifling him as she pulled him to the dance floor. A new song started, and Xynox got into this one. It started with an electronic sound, and then the drums and guitar cut in, sounding sinister. Then, He caught the lyrics "For the beast is coming to life. Taking form in the glimmer in this tainted moonlight" He didn't know what came over him, but he had to sing.  
"Death approaches on this night  
For the animal's soul is mine  
We will be completed right before your eyes  
I have no control this time  
And now we both shall dine in Hell tonight!" he continued to sing along, as the singer sang about his inner demons, and Xynox sang of the creature he turned into as a side effect of being a vessel.

Xynox stared up at Neferet as he sang the last line of the song "And now we both shall dine in Hell tonight!" She was now looking down at her phone or her hands or something, feigning disinterest.

"Damn you can sing," Cyrce declared, "that voice is something else. I can see why Nefer-ious wanted to keep you all to herself". Cyrce didn't let on that the fact that he looked human was enough to nauseate her.

Xynox wasn't sure what to make of the praise, so he simply said, "Thank you". He didn't think Cyrce would care whether he could sing. She was surely only in it to mess with Neferet… surely.

"Now, I have a request," she dragged him down to the DJ, a man clad in leather, with a goatee and an oversized pair of headphones on. He looked distractedly down a his laptop, playing a game with guns and little blips.

"Down with the Sickness, Disturbed," Cyrce said coolly, interrupting his game.

"Is there a please in there, new girl?" he demanded. She fake coughed before he looked up and gasped, "Oh, Cyrce. I'm sorry. I'll play it right now," he instantly hit play and played the song she requested. This song started off with a tribal drum beat.

Neferet watched in horror as the man turned the song on, and prayed that it was Farther Away by Evanescence, which shared the drum beat at the start. If it was Down With the Sickness, she was screwed.

"Can you feel that?" she heard a male voice whisper seductively, "Ah, shit."

His statement echoed hers exactly. Oh shit. Cyrce must have known that the song would bring back memories. She looked around, hoping Dividos would reveal himself. A waitress came up, delivering her a drink. Neferet sniffed it, to check it for poison, and then consumed it. The beverage burned her throat, she could tell it was full of alcohol, but she wasn't terribly upset by that. Hopefully it would take the edge off the song. But she had no such luck. When David Draiman began to scream at his mother, Neferet felt as though she was standing in front of Zoey's cursed mirror. All she could see was her father above her. All she could hear was his voice. She could even smell the reek of his alcohol soaked breath, and she swore she could feel him. She swore she could feel the pain she had felt then.

Xynox heard the scream as Neferet fell to her knees. He saw the pain written all over her face as she crumbled. Cyrce laughed. The look of agony in Neferet's eyes was unfathomable. Xynox watched the way she fought unseen hands, screaming as she lost. He watched the woman he'd considered a goddess screaming and sobbing tears of blood. This was the first time Xynox saw her as a person, someone who had weaknesses as well as strengths. Xynox didn't know what it was about the song, but he ran to the DJ, wrenching out of Cyrce's bruising grip.

"Neferet needs you to change the song," he panted, tired from sprinting over there, but still determined to stop the song before it got any further.

"_Who?" _the DJ demanded.

"Nefer-" he started, then he remembered she went by an alias. If only he could remember it.

"Saraneth," Dividos interrupted him, "Saraneth needs you to change the song," he smirked, knowing that this would cause even more chaos, pitting Neferet against Cyrce. Neferet would be _livid_.

The DJ obediently clicked a new song on his laptop. It started off with a slightly creepy sounding guitar riff. Xynox couldn't see if Neferet was okay through the throng of people. He realized they were flocking around him, like they were magnetic. Then as he began to wonder if it was another of Cyrce's tricks and the song would trigger something worse, he witnessed the single most dramatic entrance he'd ever seen. There were ropes up at the top of the building, leading from the balcony, and Neferet had slashed one of them and she swung down to the floor as the singer sang an initial sustained note. She looked terrifying, blood still shining wetly on her face, moving slowly and deliberately to the beat of the song. People moved out of her way as she strode towards Xynox. Cyrce was all that stood in her way.

Neferet wanted to reclaim her vessel. She wanted Cyrce to pay for making her vulnerable. The singer began to sing about how he'd tried to love someone, and Neferet called on the last vestiges she had of Darkness. She expelled it, fed by her anguish and the blood she'd shed when she cried, when she tore at herself with her nails. It struck Cyrce when she wasn't expecting it. The Darkness dug into her and she whirled to face her assailant.

Cyrce laughed, still battling the tendrils "Feeling a little vulnerable, Neferet?" she asked "That wasn't even _fun_ it was so easy". She began to take Neferet more seriously as the Darkness cut into her.

Neferet then realized what she had to do. She grabbed Xynox and whispered "We need to get to the centre of this crowd before she returns the favour" while looking around apprehensively.

Xynox smiled, "So I _do_ get to dance with you?" he remarked. He walked with her to the centre of the floor, pushing past those who were too stubborn to move.

"It would appear," Neferet whispered, still looking slightly nervous. Xynox wondered why his goddess feared Cyrce.

Xynox wasn't sure how to dance to this, so he let Neferet lead. She moved gracefully, spinning and stepping as he awkwardly tried to move in time with her. Predictably, a crowd amassed. No one had seen Neferet dance before and they were enthralled. _Xynox _was enthralled by the woman dancing with him. All too soon the song ended, only to launch back into action when he wasn't expecting it, and the singer sang the words "love, hate, love" one last time before the song concluded. A new one started, this time with a livelier drum beat, causing the crowd to writhe in time to the beat.

Neferet smirked as Cyrce retreated to the bar. It was true, what the singer said, "Once I start I cannot help myself". She wanted to hit her again, with more Darkness now, but she couldn't. So, she settled for ignoring Cyrce entirely, focusing instead on Xynox. She found it entertaining how he moved enthusiastically to the beat, despite the fact that the crowd watched him _almost_ as attentively as they watched her.

Xynox was mesmerised. He felt absolutely mesmerised by Neferet. Earlier, when she had been in pain, he'd seen her as another person. Now he saw that person still, but overshadowed by a goddess. He wondered why she'd chosen _him_ to bring, a mere mortal.

A new song started. Xynox excused himself, because he knew, being a vessel, he wasn't supposed to be attracted to Neferet the way he was. He was supposed to _serve _her _protect_ her; he was not supposed to fall for her. And he was certainly not to imagine how things would be different if he wasn't a vessel. Particularly since she was a goddess, and he was a mortal. Part of the lyrics to the song echoed into the restroom, where Xynox had sat down.

"I'm a slave, and I am a master  
No restraints and, unchecked collectors  
I exist through my need, to self-oblige  
She is something in me, that I despise," the lyrics followed him. _Too true, _he thought. Then the singer went on about how he wouldn't let this build up inside him. The most striking part was when the singer began to sing about how "She isn't real, I can't make her real," Xynox had to accept that. The Neferet he fantasized about was just that. Not real, and she never would be. He was sure that she'd never be real. Feeling disappointed, he left the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Neferet thought about the lyrics. She wondered if Xynox had left because he was afraid of her. She looked like a mess, with blood dried under her eyes, and little slices running up her arms. This trip had been counter-productive. She'd wanted Xynox to fall for her so she could guarantee he'd continue to serve her, instead he saw her weakness, and no doubt now he was repulsed by her. Xynox returned at the end of the song as the singer sang "She isn't real, I can't make her real," the Neferet that she wanted him to see, the one who was in control and powerful and _immortal_ was a lie, a front. She couldn't make that Neferet real. She'd tried tirelessly, and never succeeded.

A new song began, with the loud, raucous guitar Xynox was getting accustomed to. He stood there, awkwardly near Neferet trying to resist his growing urge to wrap his arms around her slender ivory neck and pull her blood red lips to his. The lyrics weren't helping either, considering the singer had written them about a relationship he'd had. Neferet stood a meter away, and he got up the courage to close the distance between them as the singer began to sing the chorus of the song for the second time "I loathe your face, just get away.  
I'm on my knees, fuck you, fuck me," the lyrics weren't helping Xynox's imagination to stop thinking about Neferet, that was for sure.

Neferet knew he was repulsed by her. That was why he was standing so far away. She knew she couldn't grow attached to her vessel though. The pain inflicted on her by those she had loved was too memorable, like it was branded into her brain with a burning rod. She told herself that she only wanted him to care about her so he would protect her, because she was now mortal. Somehow, it didn't quite seem true anymore.

Xynox finally caved and wrapped his arms around her slender hips, still keeping his body a few inches from hers, not wanting to alarm her. Her scent permeated the air around him, something dark and seductive, with a hint of lily juxtaposed into it. It smelled intoxicating. He could stand here forever, drinking in her scent.

Neferet felt slightly uncomfortable. It wasn't that Xynox had wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close. The issue was that he was still holding himself away. He was doing this only for her, obviously, and that hurt her. A light guitar intro signified the start of a new song. Neferet recognized the voice of Jonathan Davis, but sounding softer, sweeter than she was used to. "The places I have ran to all my life have disappeared,  
And I owe this all to you," he sang. It made her think about how this place was hers, but now Xynox could get here and she would have to share, even if he left her, he could now get in. She knew he would leave her, too. It was obvious in the way he held himself away

Xynox was greedy. This wasn't enough for him. He knew there was hell to pay, but he wanted to kiss her. He wanted her lips on his and he wanted her to feel like he did. He was going to lose his mind if he kept trying to stay away, his position as a vessel be damned. Then, he saw the smirk on Dividos' face. Even the way Dividos had been watching Neferet had been pissing him off to no end, and the possessive part of his mind demanded that he show Dividos that he couldn't have Neferet.

In a reckless moment, he did just as he'd wanted to, wrapping his arms around her neck. He pulled her lips to his. He wanted her to feel how much he loved her, how much he needed her. "Why can't this kiss be true?  
Why won't you please let me through," he heard the singer sing. _Why, indeed? _he wondered absently. Then, he felt her lips move beneath his.

Neferet was shocked when he pulled her towards him. When she felt his lips seize hers, she stifled a gasp. She didn't like that he'd started it, however. She was uncomfortable with having Xynox initiate this, but she found herself kissing back. She wondered if he meant it like she did, when she let it all out, her anger at Cyrce, her fear from flashing back, the pain from ripping at her own flesh, the pain from knowing he'd leave, the way she'd betrayed herself by growing attached to him. She realized that's what the song was about, wondering why your partner didn't feel like you did. It was about wondering why they couldn't kiss you like you kissed them. Neferet on the other hand was trying to determine why he'd kissed her at all.

Xynox was shocked by how strongly Neferet reacted. It was like suddenly she was releasing all the frustration, all the stress from today. It didn't mean she felt anything for him, but she had chosen _him_ and that had to mean something. At the end of the song, Neferet pulled away, leaving Xynox confused. Did he do something to anger her?

Neferet pulled away to avoid letting him any further past her shields. She had already done far too much. She was betraying herself already so much by kissing him, by letting herself kiss him. Now she had to stop. She had to, or she would put herself at risk. Why did he make her betray herself like this?

The next song started off softly, with a haunting female voice. The start was about a kiss. Neferet wondered if the DJ had seen her and Xynox. It was once she got to the second verse that she was shocked.

"Through this world I've stumbled  
So many times betrayed,  
Trying to find an honest word,  
to find the truth enslaved" Neferet understood that. She felt like it was true to her, she who'd been betrayed time after time. Neferet only wanted control over her life, which was why she needed to control the world. She wondered if Xynox, too would betray her. That made her feel a pang. Oh no. it _couldn't be._ He was already in her heart. As Sarah Mclachlan sang about kissing someone so hard it took their breath away, Neferet followed suit. Pulling Xynox back to her, she let her mind go and reveled in this moment, refusing to think.

Xynox had no clue what to make of this, but he was enjoying it. He felt Neferet's lips on his, and he finally knew that somehow, some way, she desired him.

"I love you," the words sprung unbidden from his lips as he mumbled them against hers.

She froze. He _loved _her. The words were a blessing and a curse. She didn't want to love someone. She'd sworn it could never happen again. It was like giving the person a knife to dig into you. They always betrayed you when she needed them most. They always betrayed her somehow.

"It's okay if you don't love me. I'm fine with that," Xynox whispered, still lying, slightly "You don't trust love. But I wanted you to know how I feel". That was a lie. He wanted her to say it back. He wanted her heart. But that would be a little too much for today. He wouldn't rush her.

Neferet was relieved by the fact that he didn't expect her to love him. She just appreciated that the man beside her would protect her for the time being.

Meanwhile, Dividos rolled his eyes at them and walked back to the bar, to see if he could talk Cyrce into causing some more trouble. He fed off chaos, and this night had just run out. For now, anyway.

**Please review.**


	3. Familiar Faces

"It's okay if you don't love me. I'm fine with that," Xynox whispered, still lying, slightly "You don't trust love. But I wanted you to know how I feel". That was a lie. He wanted her to say it back. He wanted her heart. But that would be a little too much for today. He wouldn't rush her.

Neferet was relieved by the fact that he didn't expect her to love him. She just appreciated that the man beside her would protect her for the time being.

Meanwhile, Dividos rolled his eyes at them and walked back to the bar, to see if he could talk Cyrce into causing some more trouble. He fed off chaos, and this night had just run out. For now, anyway.

Neferet muttered an excuse and, promptly left. She had never been claustrophobic, but at this point she felt like the walls were closing in around her, and the room felt too hot, too full of noise as the new song thrummed through the crowds. She ran out into the alley, wanting fresh air. The dark night, the cool breeze wrapped around her, like a cloak. Neferet wondered just how cracked Xynox had to be to even consider her that way. She didn't do _love, _she was the thing that love feared, unfortunately, the past tense was important in that sentence. She wondered if it was a reaction to him drinking slightly too much. That was logical. By tomorrow, he would remember that as a vessel, he was not to have feelings for his priestess.

Neferet wasn't prepared to go back in, so she sat atop a dumpster, like a queen atop a throne, enjoying the profound silence the dead of night provides.

Xynox had fucked up. He cursed his big mouth. Why did he have to ruin things and drop the word "love" so quickly? He knew little about her life, but the fact that she'd turned to Darkness, implied that she probably wasn't the type that could even love. He didn't know why he'd said it, he'd just been feeling _good_ after that kiss and the words had tumbled, unbidden, from his mouth. He sighed, sitting down at the bar, watching the door for a reappearance of his goddess. While he sat, he tried to determine whether he'd meant what he said.

Neferet knew things were going to be ugly from the moment she picked up their fetid thoughts. But she was prepared for a bit of bloodshed. The fact that she'd been an immortal had left her with heightened senses and quicker reflexes, and even a bit of an inhuman strength advantage. As the first man strode into the alley, Neferet tried her best to appear scared, playing up the moment. There were only three of them, one of whom already had a black eye. Their ringleader, who reeked of alcohol, grabbed her arm. "You're going to be taking a little trip with us, pretty lady," he smirked, smooth hands gripping her pale arm. He was already a little nervous, she could tell from the slick sweaty palms he'd placed on her arm.

She got up, still in the shadows enough that it obscured her marks. "well, I suppose if you really want to take this road," she said calmly, knowing that would throw them off even more than if she were to resist. They wanted her to fight, to scream and cry and kick, trying blindly to evade their trap. Sh she walked out of the shadows, she flipped her hair out of her eyes, allowing the auburn strands to catch the moonlight and allowing them an unfettered view of her marks. The other two, the side kick and the one with the black eye, began to lose any confidence they had in their little plan, and began to talk of a mutiny. The leader cussed them out for considering it, and then, I acted. I twisted his arm, to force him to let go of me, and brought my knee up, hitting him somewhere my knee never should have had to go. He glared at me, doubling over from taking my knee to the groin.

"You're playing a dangerous game, bitch," he spat, still bent over.

"If it's so dangerous," I advanced on the other two, "why am I winning?" the other two booked it out of there, terrified of the vampyre. They sprinted out of the alley, never looking back to their defeated leader.

He got up, eyes burning with rage, but Neferet was used to burning looks. Hell, she could take a lot more than a look and keep going. She wasn't expecting, say a winged immortal to push her into a wall and usher the mortal out. She glared at Kalona, emerald eyes seething with her own version of a burning look. "Neferet," he began slowly, drawling her name out, "you're very far from home, aren't you?"

Neferet never broke eye contact "Home, Kalona is where the heart is. And I have no heart," she spoke levelly to the traitorous immortal, despite wanting to tear a strip off him. Her hands snaked around to his back, stroking down a scar he'd gained when she whipped him with Darkness. His skin still had that peculiar chill to it. "and I wouldn't suggest messing with me on this, I tend to win. You still have the scars from defying me," Neferet hoped he wouldn't call her on the lie.

Kalona stared into her eyes, not seeing the Darkness that flitted through them the last time he saw her. Instead, he just saw a pissed off vampyre. He decided that it was more treachery on the part of the Tsi Sgili. He would not be fooled by her again. He swatted her hands off him "in the end, light will triumph, Neferet. It always does," he insisted, wanting Neferet to understand

Neferet narrowed her eyes at her former lover, wondering why he had to be so dense. She pushed him away from her and strode back to the door. "It does not matter if Thanatos decides to come for me. Let her come, even. But it's not Thanatos who sent you, is it?" Neferet demanded, "you always did have a weakness for the impetuous little child, didn't you?"

"Zoey Redbird does not control me," Kalona snapped, voice low, muted even. Neferet thought he sounded inordinately subdued for the normally arrogant immortal. He also kept his eyes low, focused on those infernal shoes she'd donned. Neferet wondered what had him like this.

"Who is controlling you then?" she demanded, "is it the goddess? Or perhaps it is the meddling Thanatos, I wouldn't put it past her," Neferet spoke aloud as she tried to determine the answer by Kalona's facial expression. The immortal gave little information by his mannerisms, however, considering he'd had centuries to learn how to keep a poker face. Neferet had no intention of playing fair, however. "Or perhaps it was A-ya's idea. It's a shame you never did reclaim her, but for a chance with her, I'm certain you'd do anything, even deal with me," Neferet remarked "desperation makes for a monolithic weakness, she whispered into his ear.

Kalona turned to face her "my reason for coming here is unimportant," he started, wishing it were true. He was glad Neferet hadn't found that in his mind. "it is your reason that I'm curious about," he finished smoothly. Kalona tried not to reveal the person who'd sent him, despite the fact that he knew Neferet would ultimately figure it out.

Neferet smiled in a way that was more serpentine than anything else "I wanted a change of scenery," she lied, "and one that wouldn't have your precious A-ya cluttering it." She turned to leave, leaving a disgruntled Kalona in her wake. The doorman let her in without any form of password and she instructed him not to let Kalona in. He only nodded and didn't request any information, unlike Kalona. She felt satisfied from escaping after giving Kalona close to no information, but exhausted from the rest of the night, and mentally fatigued from trying to work out Xynox's motives. Again it seemed, men were the issue.

Xynox had been sitting here for half an hour, pondering his dilemma with Neferet. He wondered if she'd left, and he was about to check, when she whirled down the stairs. The start of an equally frenzied song played as she ran down the twisted staircase she saw Xynox and sat down, refusing to meet the obsidian gaze of the vessel. She waved down the bartender and demanded her usual.

"Double strength," she sighed, "I'm exhausted." Neferet sighed, knowing she couldn't avoid Kalona for that long, but wanting to have more energy next time they spoke. Xynox awkwardly turned to her, still not meeting her eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked "you look a little shaken," he wondered what Neferet had been doing while she was out there. He hoped she was okay. She hadn't called for him, but the belligerent vampyre probably wouldn't unless her life was endangered. Maybe not even then. He hoped it wouldn't anger her that he'd seen she was upset. Caring about Neferet was like walking on eggshells.

The bartender picked up on that immediately "So you're Mopey's owner?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at Neferet "he's been here for half an hour, staring at the door. I was worried he'd gone insane, then you came in." the man placed the cup of dark red liquid before Neferet.

"One could call me Mopey's owner, but Mopey has the tendency to do as he pleases," Neferet replied taking a dainty sip of the liquid. It was a cocktail that Lex, the bartender had developed for vampyres. He refused to divulge the contents, but one part was definitely blood. That part alone gave Neferet a kick of energy. She smiled despite herself, and finally met Xynox in the eyes. His obsidian eyes were imploring almost. She refused to get lost in their depths, though. There was far too much at stake for her to allow herself that luxury.

Neferet's emerald eyes looked… different. Lighter, somehow to Xynox. It took him a moment to place it, it was because there was no Darkness flitting about in their depths. She looked more open, more human like that, and it threw Xynox off, despite being a welcome change. "and my answer, Nefer- uh, Saraneth, are you okay?" he wanted her to be honest with him for once. He understood that he'd surprised her and all, but this was going to have to end now.

Neferet lied as easily as she normally would, to someone who wasn't Xynox when she told him she was. What wasn't like typical Neferet was the pang she felt upon doing so. She wished she could cry on him, and for once let herself go and unload on someone. She refused to give in to her desire to for once just talk to someone about what troubled her, about everything that troubled her.

Xynox saw a guarded look cross through her eyes. She didn't want him to know, or maybe just didn't want to talk about it. Either way, he was fine with it. It wasn't his cross to bear, and he didn't want to piss her off any more. Neferet was going to take time to forgive him, if she ever did. There was no doubt in Xynox's mind that Neferet might never forgive him if he screwed things up too much. He knew she was still holding onto grudges from her past life, that of a High Priestess. The bitterness that he saw painted on her face whenever Tulsa was brought up was evidence enough. Xynox hoped eventually, she'd be able to let go, but he wasn't sure if that was reality.

Neferet took a deeper drink of Lex's drink, letting her mind ease as the invigorating mix sank into her. She would be sure to tip Lex for these. Generally, he didn't charge her, but for days like today, she liked to leave him a bit of money. She noticed Xynox seemed a little off as though he was trying to puzzle something out. She decided to be nice, she'd order something for him.

"Hey, do you think you could fix my friend up with a drink?" she asked, carefully keeping her tone friendly as the song raged on, alternating between insane moments and a light, slow, almost contemplative chorus. It ended in a surprising line "I cry when angels deserve to die." She wondered which song this was. Then this man too began to go on about his father, and she took a sip of the drink again, to quell the memories "Father! Why have you forsaken me? In your eyes forsaken me  
In your thoughts forsaken me  
In your heart forsaken, me oh" she listened, wondering if the DJ was deliberately playing a setlist of songs about families gone wrong.

Xynox absently noticed Neferet clench her glass as the singer yelled "father!" he wondered why. Neferet seemed to tense every time abuse was mentioned in the songs. He wondered if that meant something, or if she just didn't like the idea of any one entity having that kind of power over another. The way she'd been affected by Cyrce's song, he almost had to wonder if she was affected by that because of a past life experience. Past life meaning before she moved here.

Neferet looked over at Xynox, who she noticed had been staring at her. Great. That was all she needed, having him know her Achilles heel. She hated having Zoey and her friends knowing everything about her that that damned mirror had told them, and none of them were like Xynox, thinking they loved her. She wondered why Xynox would choose her. She was an emotionally messed up, jaded, uncaring Tsi Sgili, someone with a blackened heart that could never understand, much less accept him.

Xynox was feeling that urge to pull her in again, and kiss her, because she was making that contemplative expression. He looked at her glass, almost empty and decided to ask the bartender, after taking a sip of his own. The liquid burned on the way down, but felt warm, like a cloak once he'd swallowed. As Neferet sang along with this newest song, which Xynox interpreted to be about being good enough, Xynox leaned over to talk.

Lex, or so Neferet had introduced him as, anyways, approached "so, Mopey, what's troubling you?" he asked, sitting down near Xynox. "Or can I assume that it's Saraneth?" his eyes flicked over to Neferet, still singing. Xynox nodded, hoping she'd just keep singing, she looked so relaxed when she sang.

"I bet you don't expect me to tell you this, but Saraneth is your typical woman scorned. She's going to be dramatic about it, because she thinks she's entitled to bitch a bit. Maybe she is. But the best way to make her realize thaat she wants you, go dance with someone else. Make it clear that you're not exclusively hers… until of course, she admits that you mean something to her," he sat back, taking in Xynox's shocked expression. Xynox was confused. Neferet was by no means 'typical' she was an immortal, a goddess. And her pain was real, wasn't it? Not to mention, he'd already danced with Cyrce and Neferet had kind of gone off the deep end on Cyrce.

_Holy shit!_ Xynox thought _Neferet does care! I mean, she did try to kill Cyrce, didn't she?_

While Xynox engaged in conversation with Lex, Neferet sang. "I had everything, opportunities for eternity and I could belong to the night," she sang, thinking about how this all might have been different. The song was very obviously about vampyres, but she didn't care, because the message for her was about a fledgling she'd met when she was in third form. Every time she thought of him she- no she would not think tonight. As she sang the pre-chorus a second time she eliminated the thoughts of him "Your eyes, your eyes, I can see in your eyes, your eyes, everything in your eyes, your eyes."

Xynox smiled and slid his arm around Neferet, not at all balking as she gave him a dirty look. Finally, she leaned back onto his arm and continued to sing, until her song was over. Once that happened, she looked over at Xynox.

Neferet was just at the bridge of the song, the only part which she didn't agree with, the part about being willing to do all those things for your 'love'. Neferet saw that as weak, to care for someone so much that you'd do anything for them, even die. That was when Xynox hesitantly slid his arm behind her head. She shot him a look. He was being impetuous tonight, and Neferet didn't like that. Then she finally decided to not show any sort of reaction, and laid back, trying to make him uncomfortable as she finished the song that she so loved. Xynox still did not move.

At the end of the song, Neferet got up, motioning to Xynox to follow her "We're going to leave now," she told him, leaving a twenty for Lex. She wondered why Xynox was acting so peculiar today. It was as if the vessel was possessed or something similar, he was acting out of character. Xynox had been nothing but a silent, obedient vessel before, now he was just acting ridiculous, pushing her to the point where she hated him. She hated him for making her question that her heart was a blackened, frozen thing. As they climbed the stairs, she wished she'd never been rejected by the White Bull, that's what caused all this. Dividos watched.

Xynox was tired of Dividos watching Neferet. He wasn't sure if there was something going on between them or something, but he was tired of it. He made a note to ask Neferet about it later. That is, if Neferet didn't kill him in his sleep. He knew that if she did, he'd earned it, but if he was going to go to Hell, he may as well do it thoroughly. Finally, they got up to the top of the stairs. Neferet waved to the doorman. Then she and Xynox slipped out into the night.

Kalona had been waiting. Once the familiar vampyre slipped through the door, he pushed her against the wall. "You evaded my question, Neferet," he reminded her. Kalona wasn't counting on Xynox being there to push him off. The immortal turned to Xynox in shock as Xynox began to shift, sensing that Neferet needed something, someone to protect her.

Kalona ignored the vessel, looking at Neferet "A new vessel?" he asked, "did you sacrifice Aurox to create this one?" he just needed to find out where she was and how to find her and then report back like a common spy.

Neferet didn't wish for Kalona to know that the bull had killed Aurox. She wanted to have Kalona thinking that she was completely in control of her life. "Of course, Aurox no longer served me, not to mention the pain his death caused Zoey Redbird. I wish I could've seen her scream when I killed him," Neferet spoke, sounding wistful even as she said the last sentence. Xynox winced, remembering the scene he'd awoken to. He remembered at penthouse catching fire and Neferet, how her face had been streaked with blood. Had that been the blood of his predecessor? He stopped cold if his shifting and re-became the humanoid that he usually appeared as.

Kalona was beginning to feel uneasy listening to Neferet talking about torture, when he noticed it. He felt a pulse pounding in her. Ever since she'd become the spiders, she had no pulse. Unless of course, things were changed now "you're mortal now?" he asked incredulously.

Xynox had seen, heard and taken part in a lot of surprising things tonight, but none so shocking as this. "You're not immortal?" he asked, feeling betrayed. Xynox wondered if he even knew the goddess-like woman he served.

Neferet paused, knowing if she tried to lie, Kalona would call her on it and make things even worse. She wasn't sure why the pain written on Xynox's face affected her, but she wanted to make that damned hurt look disappear. "Xynox, I will explain this to you later. Kalona, I owe you no such explanation, get out of my way" she pushed through, dragging a shell-shocked Xynox with her, and getting into her car. She didn't speak while in the car, and opted to take a roundabout route, trying to shake Kalona.

Xynox didn't know whether he wanted to kiss Neferet or slap her. She looked so tense at the wheel, trying to shake the immortal, and he wanted to see her relax. On the other hand, she'd lied to him about being immortal, she'd lied to him about a lot of things from the sound of t. Xynox still sat there inside the sleek black car, doing nothing but adding to the air of tension. He wished Neferet would trust him for once, because obviously, she never had before. Xynox wondered why he had to fall for the single most infuriating vampyre he'd ever encountered.

Neferet pulled in at their new place, a small, condominium like place, barely large enough and with none of the grandeur of her penthouse. She had painted her room in a fit of anger, so it was white with slashes of black and red. The furnishings were all average but she'd done her best with the space, hanging silky black curtains and using equally silky sheets. The small closet was ample for her even smaller collection of clothing she'd brought with her. Neferet supposed it would do until she found a higher paying job. The downside was that Xynox had no room, he'd been on the couch recently. Of Course, today, Neferet would bet anything that he would refuse today, just because he was being a pain.

Xynox charged into her room, the anger and betrayal sparking in his eyes like flames. Neferet smirked, thinking that in one way or another, fire entered her house. "What was this about you not being an immortal?!" he demanded "Why is it that everyone knows more about you than me?"

Neferet narrowed her eyes "it's because you, Xynox, are my vessel. I am not obligated to inform you. I don't owe you anything. But there is no point leaving you with partial information, now. I became mortal the day I fell out of the White Bull's favour; he took away my immortality as well as killed Aurox, your predecessor. That's why I named you similarly, it is through the sacrifice of my former vessel that you came to live," I told him everything except the hallucinations the White Bull had put me through, leaving that part for myself.

Xynox approached me, and I became incredibly aware of my surroundings. He was cracked, and I hoped he wasn't becoming dangerous. Xynox thought about the song title he'd caught and prayed that he found it. He picked up the music device Neferet's boss had given her and selected the song from earlier tonight. The lighter guitar intro filled the room, slightly tinny from the speaker. Neferet recognised the song, it was Kiss by Korn.

Xynox stared into her eyes, feeling like he was going to snap. "What do I have to do, Neferet?" he asked softly "why is nothing we have true?" he finished, advancing toward her again.

"What are you doing!?" Neferet demanded, feeling nervous. Xynox was a little too close, and his eyes burned, just like the burning look from her childhood had. She was fully prepared to break the window behind her and run for the car, when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her again. This time, he just wanted to vent his frustration and he took charge of it. Neferet didn't know what to make of Xynox. He was taking things far too—too far—for a vessel and their creator ever to. The way his lips danced with hers was pleasurable though. She enjoyed it, so long as Xynox didn't—

Xynox was determined not to let the moment slip away. He knew that Neferet would fight him, but she'd thank him later, and he wanted to finally see him as her equal. His hands went just below the hem of her dress. She tensed. Neferet was trying not to have a flashback, but Xynox thought she was playing hard to get. He deepened the kiss and started to lift her dress. Neferet jerked away. "No!" she swatted Xynox's ands away, heart thudding from the fear that almost remembering that had caused.

Xynox was disappointed "It's like the song, Neferet; _I don't understand why you always push me away,_" he sang, sounding quite similar to the song itself. Xynox wondered why the hell Neferet was so insistent on pushing him away.

Neferet finally looked up from her hands to meet Xynox's, showing him the fear reflected in hers. "There's still a considerable amount you do not know, Xynox. And that, I have no intention of telling you about tonight. Now it's time you depart my room." Her voice was hard, but her eyes were imploring. Xynox saw it as a decent start. He left the room, praying that one day Neferet would finally make sense to him.

Neferet on the other hand, prayed that Xynox would just let her be.

**Come on, someone? Please, anyone, review? I wrote over 10k words, here. Please? KShade out.**


	4. Nights

**Well, it's been a bit since I updated this one, cause I had a few dilemmas about where I was taking this one… I've now got it plotted halfway to the next book… meaning about 12-13 chapters including this one, maybe more. And a huge thanks to my two reviewers, one of whom shares the name of this story :) thanks, and next time, if you could point out the errors, I'd gladly remedy each and every one.**

Neferet just wanted to sleep, so she was tempted to call her boss and cancel. After this disastrous night, she wanted to think and this would help. Neferet motioned to Xynox to get in the car, and he did so, not meeting her eyes. Xynox was trying to figure out where _exactly_ he'd gone wrong, so he could remedy it and then go on. He knew Neferet couldn't possibly be as aloof as she liked to pretend to be, not after that kiss. _Or, _he corrected himself, _those kisses._

Neferet pulled the car into a spot that said _reserved_ in all capitals, but never said for whom. She escorted Xynox into the tall black building with the satellite dishes on the top. For what had to be close to her hundredth time, she waved her pass through the scanner, motioning to Xynox to follow. She waved to the producer and then entered her space, the recording booth. Neferet spoke into the microphone after a signal from the producer.

"This is Nights with Saraneth," she spoke, knowing that despite it being close to one in the morning, there were people listening to the station she spoke for. "So, I'm looking through the emails you night owls sent me, and amongst other things, I've seen that people want to know my stance on love. Well, in my hundred plus years, I know quite a lot,"

Xynox normally didn't listen, but his ears perked up at this, and he tuned in to Neferet's speech, hoping he'd manage to hear some sort of reasoning behind her unusual reactions.

"But all this after a quick song, here comes …to be loved by Papa Roach," she said, hitting the control switch that would turn her music on, and then turning her microphone off. The producer came in and asked, "is this a touchy subject with you?"

Neferet laughed bitterly, responding honestly albeit defensively, "If I could not handle talking about it, I would not," she looked disinterested, crossing her legs and staring at the portly man who she called 'boss'.

The producer was thrown a loop by the hardness in her eyes. He never knew what to expect from the vampyre, particularly when he could tell she was angered "just remember, no names, I don't care if they're dead, their grandchildren _don't_ need to hear about Grandpa's misdeeds. And keep it clean, okay?"

Neferet rolled her eyes, "I read the pamphlet you gave me when I got the job, while you're at it, you're going to remind me to play music every now and again and acknowledge my sponsors and all that," she added, seeing the song was close to done, "I'm live in ten, so you can stay if you're that worried I'll forget myself. But don't interrupt me," she ordered. The man took a seat in the back of the room, and Neferet pressed the microphone button. "Well, I'm back, and I'm sorry to disappoint those of you who wanted a sappy session where I tell you to love with your whole hearts and never give it up. That's the attitude I started with, when I was a naïve human. I cannot tell the story of that on air, my producer might just fire me, but suffice it to say, I trusted two people, and within an hour, my beloved and my father had both betrayed me," she tried to control the bitterness that surged up at that.

Xynox wondered how they'd betrayed her, what had happened, but he knew better than to ask. Neferet's voice had changed there, making her sound incredibly sad, incredibly ancient. He wondered if this was why she'd pushed him away.

"But, you see, that was in year 1893, long before most people's grandparents were born. Most would ask me if I'd tried again. And I did. I was just a fledgling, and his name was Blake. I can give his name because I have nothing bad to say about him. He tried to stop my downward spiral and eventually I spiralled out of control and it cost him his life. Again, this time I betrayed myself. Betrayal, has always been the common theme. IF you are not betrayed by your partner, and you do not betray them, ultimately, life will betray you. Life will take them away, make them flee, let them die before they even reach twenty-one, sometimes," Neferet spoke, letting it all out and ignoring the anger, the sadness that accompanied it.

"Even outside my sordid tale, I see it. My enemy almost lost her will to live when her lover ceased to. And for what? Is another person worth all those risks, losing yourself, being betrayed, wanting to die, compromising your goals? What will you really gain? What could anyone hope to gain? All I see that a person could get from it is a person to protect them, and I'm more then self-sufficient," Neferet ranted, growing bolder as the night went on, "now I'm going to turn it over to some music, but if you want to voice your opinion, emails are great, text me, that kind of thing," she switched it back to three more songs that she would play, back to back.

Xynox sat, just outside her recording room, wondering how he was going to do anything. Neferet's reasoning, cynical though it was, was based in things he didn't know had happened. Things he wasn't sure he could counter, or could even try to counter. He knocked on the door and she motioned to him to enter. Xynox smiled and came in, just as the producer (who always listened to Neferet when he could tell she was getting intense) left. "So that's the story?" he asked, intrigued, "betrayal is what you're worried about?" he asked again. How bad could it be? What could have happened to her so long ago that could leave a mark?

Neferet sighed, not in the mood for another argument with the vessel. She met his eyes for a long moment, locking her emerald eyes on his dark ones. She hoped he saw the determination, the anger that showed in them. He broke the stare, looking down at the timer. "Neferet, you're on," he whispered. She hit the mic button, turning it on and pulling out her phone. "Okay, from someone going by Frozen Spirit, on email, I have a response I found interesting. 'Saraneth, I get that love is full of betrayal, but I'd like to add something. Death is just as bad for messing things up, and even immortals aren't truly safe. When you think you can't be harmed, something always comes into play, Death, another, circumstances. It's a wonder any of us are left. Other question. Obviously, you don't do 'love' per se, but do you have anyone important in your life? XX,'

My eyes widened at the name she signed. Not name so much as initial, a lone capital c. Frozen Spirit had been with me since the start, but had only ever left a random letter at the bottom of her emails. The C seemed off, as though she was hinting at something by italicising it like she had. "Frozen, I have a vessel, that's it. Attractive though he may be, we will never be more than two people under the same roof. That's assuming he stays. Cracked, I'm not entirely sure how loyal they are," Neferet finally said.

Xynox didn't care that the viewers would hear him, that didn't matter to him; it wasn't his mess to sort out later. He was offended by Neferet's way of brushing him off entirely; _purely platonic, my ass._ "Actually, _Saraneth,_ that would imply that we _hadn't _kissed earlier tonight. Or that you _hadn't _tried to kill the last person to dance with me," he remarked, making sure the microphone picked him up

Neferet looked infuriated, "Actually, If memory serves, you cornered me," she spat back, ignoring the producer's little rules about airing other people on the station. Xynox wanted to mess with her while she was still on, she could return the favour. And then some. She was done with the obstinate vessel.

Xynox heard her retort and shot back equally fast, "if it was so against your will, why did you let me?" he demanded. Xynox was going to have her admit things here and now, if he had to.

Neferet glared at him, commenting, "if I let you, why did I push you away?" she seethed. Neferet couldn't believe Xynox's impertinence tonight. If it weren't for the fact that she was mortal, and he would protect her, she would kill him. The vessel was not doing anything for her, except _maybe _as a bodyguard.

Xynox didn't understand Neferet's aversion to him. Could she admit she'd enjoyed kissing him? It wasn't a crime, nor was it marriage. "Yeah, you pushed me away. I overstepped myself. But if it was that awful, why did you wait ten or so minutes to do so?" he demanded, "Saraneth, it's not a crime to feel attraction to someone," he added, softening his tone.

Neferet sighed, "I forgot myself," she admitted, "It will never happen again, trust me there," her tone was cold, and a little whispery, which sounded odd together. Then she turned entirely professional and said "Now for our challenge. One lucky listener can come meet me, so here's what you have to do. I'm going to sing something and once I stop, caller thirteen gets to tell me what it's called. It's my original song that I performed last Friday. But before that, Seether's on, with Love her," Neferet turned on the familiar song and powered down the microphone.

"_Love her? _Is that you admitting something?" Xynox asked, pointing the title out, feeling like he'd won.

Neferet scowled at him, flicking the lyric sheet at him, "Love her, Xynox is a euphemism. The singer might have some sort of feelings, but the only time he says 'love her' is followed by 'if you pay'," Neferet explained.

Xynox skimmed the depressing lyrics, about the sad life of a woman who sells her body. "What are you trying to prove?" he asked. He knew she was going to be angry, infuriated even, but he wanted to be an equal to her.

Neferet whirled on him. "I do not need to prove anything to you!" she cried, not sure why he was so determined to piss her off. She walked off to the recording studio, where the band was waiting. The guitarist smiled as she entered "so now you arrive? I had to try to sing your part," he whined, running his hands through his spiked up hair.

Neferet narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't respond. It wasn't him she was angry at. She turned on the recording studio. "This is Saraneth, live from the recording studio. Remember, caller thirteen, if you remember the title, you can win it," I announced "enough talk, though,"

"Beat me to the ground  
And watch as I burn down  
But it's a short victory  
And you'll be sure to remember me

I'm the stalemate  
You love to hate  
And I'll escape  
I'm the one that haunts your dreams  
Killing you while you're killing me" the guitarist let loose his first solo, fingers flying faster than Neferet could contemplate.

"I can survive to see you die  
I can live my daily lie  
You'll regret crossing me  
and you'll never forget what I can be

You won't have 'such things' I won't take it  
You wish me 'the best', but that's full of shit  
I will not—cannot  
I will not—cannot _live with this_.

I'm the stalemate  
You love to hate  
And I'll escape  
I'm the one that haunts your dreams  
Killing you while you're killing me  
And you thought you could forget  
well I'll make you regret!" then, it changed from heavy, loud, ear piercing music to a quieter, more smooth tone.

"A phoenix," she sang, the voice striking a minor chord to the instruments, "I can rise  
but I won't lie  
I hide the scars behind  
behind the one that's going to take your life," there was a final, ear-piercing chord and Neferet finished it. She smiled at her band. "Well done, everyone," she smirked.

Meanwhile, someone listening reached for the phone, muttering a spell to ensure she got the spot. She had to prove that the radio announcer wasn't who she thought they were. There was no way she could have that much in common with her enemy. As the host answered, telling her she'd won, she smirked. If this _was_ who she thought they were, she'd have some fun at the meeting.

Neferet answered the phone line "This is the 131.98 Nights contest. What's the song title?"

The caller replied easily "killing you. You've also titled it Arthur, but the producer shut you down. Didn't like real person references," she replied, her voice sounding sly and knowing. Maybe because she was sly and knew too much.

Neferet shook her head, dismissing the idea that this person had an ulterior motive. "Well, I think that scored you your ticket. What's your name?" Neferet asked, hoping she'd just get it over with and leave early.

"Frozen Spirit. _You, _ however can call me Alice," Neferet shivered at Frozen—Alice's tone as she whispered the name into the earpiece. Yet another thing she _didn't _need to remember

"Well, then I'll be seeing you tomorrow. And you _all _will be hearing from me later. This concludes Nights with Saraneth," she left the room after hitting the microphone button. She glared at Xynox and grabbed his sleeve, not trusting herself to avoid making a scene for the producer. The drive back was silent, she gritted her teeth and refused to speak, clutching the wheel so hard her nails pierced the leather. Neferet wanted blood and death and Darkness. Instead, she was going to have to settle for some more mortal, less satisfying solution.

Xynox could feel her anger. He felt like he was using her for it, because as a vessel, he fed off it. He figured drinking in her anger might help her get rid of it, but either there was that much of it, or that _wasn't _how it worked. Xynox shouldn't have spoken on her show. That was where he'd gone wrong.

Neferet pulled into the driveway and grabbed Xynox, again, dragging him by the sleeve. The sleeve began to tear, but Neferet kept dragging until he was in the house, not at his normal paced walking, but at her speed.

"If you were anyone else, I would've killed you by now!" Neferet fumed, trying to get it out by screaming at him, rather than by slowly tearing him apart with her nails. Not that that was half as satisfying.

"So, why are you holding on to me then?" Xynox shot back, equally loud. He was through with this. He may be a vessel, but she was treating him like dirt. Xynox might have thought of it as fair before, but he was done with the way she treated him.

"Shut up!" Neferet screamed, slapping him hard and letting her crimson nails etch lines in his cheek. Tiny rivulets of blood ran down his cheek, like tears. There were four lines, the middle one the deepest.

Xynox wondered if she would kill him, panicking a little at the thought and looking around to see if he had anywhere to run. Before he could do anything, she'd seized his face.

The smell hit Neferet like a ton of bricks. She had never been more tempted to feed. Particularly since she'd been drinking only bagged blood, which had begun to grow ever scarcer as the High Council realized it was being sent to her. Not thinking so much as feeling, she licked the dripping blood, sampling to see if the blood of a vessel would do anything for her.

Xynox made a whimper-like noise, as Neferet licked higher, revelling in the sensations this was causing him. She closed all but the deepest gash, which she drank from. Xynox slowly sat down to the couch, Neferet sitting down on the arm of the couch, with her legs going over Xynox's lap, not wanting to sit on the vessel. Xynox groaned, not knowing anything could feel this good.

Neferet slid off the arm of the couch, sliding into Xynox's lap. As the pleasure that his blood gave her surged through her, Neferet stifled a cry, not wanting to start making her own sounds. If Xynox knew what this did to her... Xynox's threaded his hands into her hair as she continued her ministrations. Neferet realized in the back of her head that if she took any more, she might imprint with the vessel, and she didn't need him in her head. She licked the cut shut and stood up. "I think I've found something you are good for," she mused. Xynox sighed a little.

"I don't think I even mind you using me," he admitted, still not fully satisfied. He wondered why the enigmatic vampyre had done all this. Had he wanted to gloat, he would've pointed out that she'd started this entirely, but he'd just take the victory in stride. Neferet looked at the clock, seeing it was close to six am. The workers would be getting up now to go to their office jobs. Normally, she stayed up far later, but today was not normal. Feeling sated, she left to sleep.

Xynox, on the other hand, curled up there on the couch, to catch a few hours of sleep before his job began. He worked unloading merchandise into the warehouse of a large store. It was a menial task, but it made him a bit of money. He figured once he got a promotion, he'd be able to pay his share of the rent on the small structure. Then he might be able to move off the couch.

Xynox was about to leave the house when it happened...

Neferet fell asleep quickly, but not into a restful sleep. She was in the Mayo, gazing down at Tulsa as it burned. What didn't make sense was why Kalona was in here, pacing. The screams of the people who were dying was satisfying to her as Darkness licked up her arms.

"What troubles you?" she asked, perplexed as to why they were back in Tulsa, and why he was with her.

That was when an older-looking Zoey Redbird whipped the door open. Kalona then pinned Neferet to the wall. Neferet fought him, but Zoey was too fast "Cyrce! You have to bring our guests!" she called. Cyrce arrived with Arthur, the two of them followed by a face from Neferet's darkest nightmares. His black eyes lit up as his thin, pale lips twisted up into a smirk. "Emily, you haven't aged more than a decade," he jeered, his hand going to her face, stroking down from there. Neferet jerked, trying to move, but despite Kalona releasing his hold on her, she couldn't move.

Arthur smiled twistedly. He and Cyrce stared at each other, more wordless staring into each other's eyes. That was when Neferet looked down to see she was wearing that damned dress, again. With Cyrce watching, Father began to pull the neck of the dress down and she screamed, trying to summon the Darkness, but Cyrce had invoked it to show Arthur.

Xynox felt a surge of fear and he ran for Neferet's room, his own sleep be damned. He whipped the door open, to see the vampyre flailing atop her bed. Xynox did the only thing he could think of, actibng purely based on the adrenaline her fear gave him. Xynox lay behind her, and grabbed her hand. "Neferet," he said insistently, "Neferet? Please wake up!"

Neferet felt something behind her, but in her dream there was only wall. Then, a hand laced its fingers through hers. Then, she heard the voice of her vessel calling to her. She snapped awake to see Xynox beside her, holding her hand. He seemed to radiate calm, the same calm Blake Winters had been full of. Neferet relaxed a little. Not speaking, merely moving her face to lie on his shoulder. Neferet didn't care if she was leading the vessel on, she just wanted to feel the slow, reassuring throb of his heartbeat, smell the scent of his hair, and feel a little safer. Neferet didn't care what would happen next, she just wanted his presence, to reassure her that she was in this world, not the realm of her nightmares.

**So, I get that 3500 ish words is nothing for this fic… sorry. Uh, to those who haven't read Neferet's Curse… Arthur was going to marry Emily (Neferet) and then he abandoned her right after Mr Wheiler (her dad) raped her. Asshole. Anyways, please review.**


	5. Anarchy, Darkness and other forces

**This chapter is dedicated to an awesome anon who goes by Nicole. Nicole made me get off my ass and write this, by reviewing. As for Fallen, my other reviewer, thanks for continuing. **

Neferet didn't care what would happen next, she just wanted his presence, to reassure her that she was in this world, not the realm of her nightmares.

Xynox felt the vampyre rest her head on his shoulder. Her auburn hair fanned out behind her, some strands caressing him like tendrils of silk. They smelled intriguing, a little like cinnamon, but mixed with a scent that was purely Neferet. He noticed her hand was still clutching his, her crimson nails digging into his hands as the sensitive tips that she'd clawed at rested quiescently against his hand. The smooth skin of her cheek pressed against the skin of his neck, seeking the warmth of his body. He smiled, allowing himself to revel in the moment. It didn't matter that he knew it would end in Neferet killing him for being in her bed, figuratively, of course.

Neferet knew that Xynox would probably use it against her, but she didn't care as she tried to sleep in his arms. It was comfortable enough, just being able to feel him there, and feel protected. She could again, reassure herself that it was only his protective instincts and warm body that she was doing this for, not any ridiculous romantic feelings. It didn't matter if, to the observer, this looked like lovers snuggling. The whole concept of 'lover' was not a concept she liked, being based on two things she shunned, love and sex. Not that sex wasn't useful as a way of manipulation, but she was done with it. She could manipulate memories, and that worked better than simply bedding people.

Xynox looked at the clock, and set an alarm for three hours from then, so he could get to his day-job. Then, he let himself relax into the soft mattress. Moving his hands over Neferet—slowly, so as not to have her rip his head off—he brought her slightly closer, and slept with her intoxicating scent cascading over him, just like her hair.

Neferet registered him pulling her in, and for a moment, allowed her to wonder. _What would happen if- _that was as far as she allowed the thought to progress. Xynox was an asset, a vessel to serve her, and a pleasant distraction, that was all he could ever be. She then slept—dreamlessly, for once—in the arms of the vessel.

The alarm was an obnoxious screaming to intrude on the peace of the moment. Xynox pounded it and bolted out of bed, "I have to go to work," he whispered, "but I'll be back," he'd tried to telegraph sincerity into it. Not entirely certain about his driving skills, he opted to catch the bus, because he'd stayed with Neferet too long to run. He smiled at that. Neferet had let him in. Even something just as small as this was hugely significant to him. It meant that she wasn't as heartless as she thought.

Neferet felt Xynox leave after the raucous sound of his alarm died down. He whispered to her that he had to leave, but he'd return. The room felt smaller after her left, smaller and darker. She sighed, rolled over, and tried to sleep again. Then, she felt a weight on the side of her bed. "Xynox, you have work," she chastised…

Xynox waved to the other workers, who grunted in response, some waving back as he checked in with the boss, who was assigning people to their jobs. Xynox was given the third truck, so he began hefting the boxes, listening to the music playing through the tinny speakers of the small radio. He decided to check if he could get _Nights_, or whatever it was during the day. He scrolled and scanned until it landed on 131.98, where he heard an ad for Nights with Saraneth. The announcer said "and to all you creatures of the night, be sure to catch Nights with Saraneth!" Xynox paused, sliding the first box out of the truck and hefting it, carrying it toward the shelf that he was going to put it on, muscles screaming from the exertion. Normally, he shifted for this kind of thing, but today he wanted to try doing the labour as a human. Being as lean as he was, the task as difficult, but the lactic acid coursing through his muscles hurt less than the shift did.

"Hey! Lazyass! Get to it!" the foreman prodded, glowering at him from under his construction helmet. The helmet was far from necessary, but it was a token of authority to the foreman, so he wore it. _Not to mention, _Xynox thought, _if any of us ever decide to kill him, head trauma won't work. _

"Sorry, I'm on it," he responded, biting back a retort as the thick set man scrutinized him a little longer before lumbering off in search of a new victim. Xynox focused on the slug-trail of bitterness the man left in his wake, drinking it in. He felt it hit him, and he collapsed to the ground as the agonizing process of bones shifting commenced. He'd learned not to cry out, so he bit his lip as shudders wracked his body and his feet became hooves, his hands claws. As the horns began to grow from his scalp, a sense of power replaced the agony. Determinedly, he slid gloves over his claws and selected the large pair of shoes to slide over his hooves, to conceal them. The only thing he could do about the huge horns he'd been endowed with was work quickly and hope no one saw.

Xynox ran to the truck, hefting three of the large boxes again, his bull-form not even feeling the strenuous task. His bull-form was a weapon, pure and simple; he didn't tire easily. The next time, he hefted another three, and another, and another three. He walked to the beat of the song that played, which was all about how the singer was not a deity. The beat was brisk, but he wasn't yet short of breath.

The Foreman came around again and Xynox bolted into the shadows, not wanting his horns to be seen. "Now that's what I wanted to see, Zippy. Have a drink," he left a bottle of Gatorade for me as a form of reward. After he'd rounded the corner, Xynox returned to packing after moving the bottle out of his path. As he unpacked the second half of the truck, three by three, he mulled over what to do about Neferet. Specifically, he wondered if she'd want more blood. Just thinking about that distracted him and, admittedly, turned him on. Xynox wondered how crazy his life would seem to any of his co-workers. He was a shape-shifting creation of Darkness who was in whatever twisted sort of relationship he was in with a vampyre who used to be immortal.

He wondered whether Neferet might finally admit to feeling something once he returned. The thought pleased him. Then, he felt something, almost something stabbing at him. He crumpled to the ground, dropping the boxes and cursing loudly. The electric flashes of pain surged up his side like a hot branding iron being thrust into his flesh. He screamed as he began to writhe on the ground, trying to make the pain stop. He got a clear image in his mind of Neferet. Her head was tilted back, her mouth open as though screaming.

"What are you doing?" he screamed at the image, "how can you do this to me!?"

The image of Neferet's eyes widened and she said, sounding absolutely shocked, "No"

The second she stopped whatever she was doing and spoke, the pain released, leaving Xynox strewn on the ground. Quickly, he straightened himself out and retrieved the boxes, one of which he'd kicked halfway across the room. Not letting himself think, he ran to the truck, grabbed four of the boxes this time, beginning to feel the strain in his muscles and shoved them on the shelves, running back, working fervently and hastily. He didn't think as he worked, just running and shoving the cardboard boxes into the shelf in the warehouse. After he finished, he tried to shift back. Nothing happened.

_Perfect. Just perfect, _he thought, _now I'm stuck. _Xynox tried to shift back by imagining a couple of hours ago, when he'd been lying beside Neferet and she'd nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck. Nothing worked, imagining her. He couldn't get the image of her he'd seen while he was in pain out of his head. She was… enjoying it, somehow. He gave up on trying to shift and sat back, giving himself some time to relax a little. The music playing was helping, a softer song where the singer was singing about someone he used to love. "So break me down if it makes you feel right,

And hate me now if it keeps you alright

You can't break me down if it takes all your might

'Cause I'm so much more than meets the eye," Xynox sighed. He had to let it go. Neferet had warned him that there was a lot he didn't know. This could just be another of those things. For all he knew it wasn't even her fault. The thought—hope would be more accurate—lessened his anger. His bones began to creak, and for the third time today, Xynox was brought to his knees, fighting to shift back. The pain burned as claws rescinded back into his fingers, and his hooves split, becoming feet again. Finally, his horns shrank back into his head, and he was left, panting on the ground, feeling weakened and nauseated, but glad work for the day was done.

_Meanwhile Neferet_

"Xynox," she chastised, "you have work," Neferet didn't bother to get up, knowing the vessel was there.

"Awake, are you?" asked a familiar voice, one inlaid with menace. Neferet bolted up in her bed to see a man with sleek black hair and purple eyes. Dividos. It relieved Neferet that the voice was only the incarnate god, and not the man he'd impersonated.

"What do you want, Dividos?" she asked, tiredly, narrowing her eyes at him. Yes, she needed power from him, but she didn't need any of the drama he brought with it, like these trips to her room, or any of the stunts he'd pulled before it.

"You left the door open, Emily. All manner of things could've come in here, so why not the master of it all?" he responded, shifting back to his normal voice. He reclined in Xynox's spot, the reddish glow he emanated playing out over the ebony sheets.

Neferet winced at his use of her name, not liking how much Dividos knew about her. She sat up, covering her pyjamas in the sheet as she did so, not wanting him to see much of her. Not wanting Dividos to see any of the scars. Or any of the physical ones, he already knew how to exploit mental scars all too well. "What do you want, Dividos?" she demanded.

Dividos smirked, "and if it's something you're not prepared to offer, Saraneth? What will you do then, Saraneth, Neferet? Saraneferet," he toyed with her name and her alias, seeing the tension in her lithe little body and knowing that she feared him, at least slightly. _Excellent, he had her where he wanted her._

"Then I'd recommend you leave, because if you don't, I will ensure that you get little chaos to feed off for the next few weeks. You say you can't die, Dividos, but starvation cannot be pleasurable," she got in his face, hoping he would get to his point.

Dividos' smirk vanished, and his features became more serious, his eyes turning grey with the change of mood, "You, in yourself are enough chaos to keep me going, Saraneferemily. Do you intend to kill yourself?" he asked, wanting to know what the enigmatic vampyre would say.

Neferet thought for a while, _would_ she kill herself? On one hand, she'd be free, from memories and expectations, and the constant battles that she waged against the world. On the other, there would be nothing for her. Her soul would cease, Nyx wouldn't take it, the White bull wouldn't take it, and she'd be lost in the middle. A Caoinic Shi by default. "Dividos, I have honestly considered it before, do not sound so shocked. My hundred thirty-six years have been a battle, and not one I have not considered forfeiting,"

Dividos felt rarely surprised, but kept his expression neutral, "there's no need for the destruction of such a fascinating creature, is there, Neferet?" he asked, his eyes turning orange.

"Dividos, if it wouldn't kill you to keep your eyes one colour," Neferet began, "And again, I want to know why you're here," he added, tiring of his mind games. Dividos' eyes turned amber, and he gave her a _look, _as though challenging glared into those eyes, so like Kalona's that it was easy to forget which immortal she spoke to.

Dividos stroked his hands through his hair and streaks of crimson shot through it, "I'm here, because you haven't given me an answer on my offer and I thought I might give you a taste of Anarchy," he laughed mentally about how much chaos this would cause.

Neferet paused, contemplating. A sample couldn't be bad, a small bit of power, a small taste of the drawbacks and advantages. "How do you propose we do that?" Neferet demanded, wanting Dividos to explain _exactly_ what he would do, before she agreed.

"The easiest solution, Neferemily, is that you drink a little of my blood. The other ways are harder, and far more painful. Unless, of course, you want me to inject my blood into your veins," Dividos suggested, knowing which she'd choose.

Neferet had always wondered about the taste of immortal blood, so the choice was obvious, "tell me when to stop," she whispered, leaning in to him and pressing her lips to his neck. Dividos pushed her back. "No, Neferet. Not there unless you also intend to be my lover," he murmured, extending his wrist to her. Neferet cringed at being attached to the god of chaos in that way, and settled for his wrist. Skipping any formalities, any sort of affectionate gestures, she bit deeply into his wrist. The blood that flowed freely into her mouth burned white-hot at first.

Neferet screamed against his wrist as it burned through her, and then, it became pleasing. The flavour was like wine mixed with normal blood, mixed with something lethal and reactive, maybe Arsenic. Sensations that she hadn't known she could even feel until this night raced through her, and she was on fire again, but this was a good kind of fire.

Dividos smirked as Neferet tilted her head up to the sky, letting out a sigh-like noise. His gratification would come when that nasty little imprint she had so foolishly created finally broke.

Neferet heard Xynox as she tipped her head back. "What are you doing?" he screamed at her, "how can you do this to me!?"

She gasped, accidentally choking a little as she did so, the pleasure of the moment replaced by an increasing hollowness that grew with every drop she took of Dividos' blood. Xynox _couldn't _be inside her mind; that would mean… _Holy shit_, she thought, _Xynox and I imprinted. That could've killed him._ "No," she whispered as Dividos' wrist fell from her mouth. She pushed Dividos against the wall, cracking the drywall a little, with her new-found strength. "You," she raged, "you knew what you were doing!"

Dividos smirked, and pushed her off. "Lesson number one, close your door, Lesson number two, I cheat," he explained, completely deadpan, before fading into grey smoke which swirled out Neferet's window. There, he re-materialised and blew her a kiss. She walked into the bathroom, and looked in the mirror, to see a flicker of Darkness in her eyes. She blinked, seeing a tiny tendril, something the size of a gecko, wrapping around her wrist. Neferet gasped. The unbelievable was happening, her Darkness was returning. The Darkness she'd expelled at Cyrce had entwined itself with her. She didn't need the Anarchy, or not really. She had a little Darkness left, and she knew more would come.

The tiny tendril cut Neferet, drinking from my wrist, ironically enough. That stung, the razor edged sharpness slicing through flesh, but it was a good pain, a pain that promised her power. Deciding, finally, she owed it to Xynox, Neferet called his boss, telling him to tell Xynox she was going to come pick him up, rather than making him walk or catch a bus. The vessel was definitely in pain, and Neferet knew now that they were bound, it wouldn't be wise to agonize him further. Three innuendos (of the foreman's making) later, the man agreed. Neferet got into her car, determinedly.

"Hey! Sleeping Beauty!" the foreman yelled to Xynox, "your girlfriend's coming!" he lumbered off. Xynox gasped, what the hell did Neferet want with him now? He got up, dusting himself off and trying to straighten his hair. It would be best not to show her how much she got to him, in case she would think he was weak.

Neferet got out of the car to see a visibly shaken Xynox. Neferet stood there, seeing an unkempt Xynox. She sighed, facing him, trying to convey... Well, something to the broken vessel. Xynox got in her car, silently, not sure whether to love her or hate her. All he knew was that the sun was hurting his head. His head throbbed, in tune with the beating of his heart.

Neferet, equally silently slid into the driver's seat. She looked at Xynox, whose eyes were screwed shut in agony, and she felt something akin to guilt. She moved her hands to his temples, pressing on them lightly. "Soothe him," she whispered, using the powers Nyx had given her as a young healer, "remove his pain… make his agony like the red sun setting into the horizon—gone after a momentary slash through the waiting night sky."

Xynox let out a long sigh, looking up at her. "How did you-" he began, not knowing how to say it, "Neferet, what did you do?" he asked, "why did it hurt me?"

Neferet didn't know whether to be honest, or lie, or what. "What happened on your end?" she asked, wanting to hear about his take on things.

Xynox sighed, "One moment I was shifted, moving boxes, the next moment, I was on the floor, screaming and flailing. Neferet, I didn't think I was going to survive; it was like being disassembled, cell by cell. And then, when I closed my eyes, I saw you, with you head tipped back, like you were moaning. So, I yelled at you, and the pain stopped when you said 'no.' I had a hell of a time shifting back, though," he explained. "That's all I know, what can you tell me?" he demanded, ebony eyes boring angrily into Neferet's green eyes.

Neferet recoiled a little, burning looks didn't really affect her, but angry shape-shifters were another story entirely. "Xynox, Dividos found me, and I was-" _weak, _she thought, "he gave me a sample of our power, through his blood. By the gods, I didn't know we were _imprinted_," she spat the word out, thinking back to when Loren had imprinted on Zoey Redbird.

Xynox held his hands up in a _stop_ signal. "What exactly does_ imprinted _mean?" he demanded, feeling confused again, by all the terminology.

Neferet sighed "when I drank your blood, there was an adverse reaction. As a result we are mentally bound. Drinking from Dividos was breaking the mental connection, thus causing you great pain. Other lovely side effects are feeling each other's emotions, being able to communicate telepathically and being able to track each other, but not unless it gets stronger," she implied that she didn't want it to. Truthfully, she didn't want to have the vessel in her head, lest he see that she was no less cracked.

"It sounds fine to me, as long as you don't run around drinking from others," Xynox replied, thinking that it might be nice, because it would give them an excuse for more blood drinking.

Neferet sighed, feeling tired, finally, she turned the car on for the drive home, "Xynox, you saw last night the burden I bear," she waved her still-scabbing-over finger tips to punctuate the statement, "you do not want to feel my pain," she commented.

Xynox looked at her for a long moment and finally said, "Neferet, I can be strong. It may help if someone feels it, you know, if you spread it around then it may not hurt as much," Xynox suggested.

Neferet laughed, her laughter sounding a little bitter as she thought about a lot of what would happen if she tried.

**Well, well, I wasn't intending for Dividos to creep in, but the scene just felt so… perfect. More from me soon, Shadi out.**


	6. Raider

**Well, Nicole. You had some interesting ideas. You should get an account, then we could PM… it would be a little easier to talk that way, rather than through reviews and my AN. Or you could even email me. (Hiddenrevealedredeemed at gmail dot com. Same goes for anyone with questions, comments, or who just wants to talk, I love to email and PM. (And, Dividos… you'll see what happens with him… he is intended to be the villain though)**

Once they were home, Neferet asked Xynox if he wanted Advil, or something of the sort. He sighed, telling her that he was just tired, and striding purposefully to Neferet's room. He turned as he stood in the doorway, facing Neferet "you're welcome to join me," he added.

Neferet knew she should be outraged by him being in her bed, but she wasn't. She wasn't sure she was safe in there alone. She decided to let her Darkness feed a little, and then join Xynox. Allowing the miniscule tendril to creep up her arm, drinking deeply and bloating as it did so, she remembered how the cold fire of the familiar force felt. The pain was mitigated by the icy chill it radiated, growing as it fed and grew. Neferet lightly brushed the tendril off her arm, stroking it gently. "I will feed you more, later, my darling," she whispered. Then, she went to go lie with the vessel.

Xynox felt her get in the bed behind him, and turned around to face her. He didn't speak, but his eyes conveyed the frustration he was feeling. _How could she drink from Dividos? Wasn't that something special that we had when she fed on my blood? _He wondered.

Neferet saw the frustration in his eyes, and decided that she deserved whatever he was going to say next. She should have known that, when it came to Dividos, there was always a catch. She still felt a sort of hollow feeling, from the almost-breaking of their imprint. Neferet wanted to fix it, but forced herself to stay just laying there. To let anyone in is to give them a knife and ask thst they kindly stab it into you once they tire of you. Neferet was done with people stabbing her in the back, or stabbing her at all. She was entirely self-sufficient.

She wasn't going to respond, was she? Xynox wanted to yell and scream and demand do be acknowledged. He wanted her to admit she'd made a mistake, and try to fix it. He wanted her to drink more blood and feel the way it made both of them feel, and he wanted to be connected to her. Xynox was done being pushed away. He pulled her a little closer, feeling her warm body contact his own.

Neferet gasped a little as Xynox's hands roughly pulled hre in towards him. He wasn't acting like a vessel, he was acting more…independently. Vesssels were to obey orders, he was free thinking, and even defiant at times. Neferet supposed that was what she had to expect, the vessel was cracked, after all. She moved to pull away and he shook his head, as though taunting her.

If Xynox wasn't going to show her how much she'd hurt him by speaking; getting mad and yelling would get him nowhere, so he was going to imply it. He was going to show her how he felt. He kissed her, rougher than normal, capturing her lips and then moving down to her neck. He saw Neferet's eyes widen. He nipped at a spot on her neck, and her eyes closed a bit. She shivered a little, looking down at him.

Neferet was baffled when Xynox kissed her, her mouth forming a comical 'o' and giving him free reign. Before she could collect her thoughts, he moved his mouth to her neck, testing where she was sensitive. He found the spot and nipped at it, too hard to be playful, but too gently to draw blood. Something spiked though Neferet, and she closed her eyes for a split second, revelling in the way it felt to lose a tiny bit of control. Then her eyes snapped open, her common sense reminding her that this _couldn't _end well. She looked down at Xynox, seeing a dark look in his eyes and shivering.

She moved to pull away, not feeling comfortable with him being like this. Xynox pulled back, eyes smouldering "fix it," he insisted. Neferet glared at him, not deigning to respond, but hoping he would take the hint. She had no intention of imprinting on the vessel, not any more than they already were.

He returned to kissing her, his lips finding her neck, causing her to tip her head back a little, wanting him to stop, but also to continue. "Xynox!" she tried to pull him off her. "Xynox, this isn't helping anything," she added, hoping he'd snap out of it. She moved to push him of, and he rolled them over so she was on top of him.

"Neferet, you can't quit until you try. This thing, it's either going to make us or break us," he whispered. Neferet had to admit, she liked the feeling of looking down at the vessel, his midnight hair askew, his eyes darkened with desire. She did love the way eyes darkened, it was almost like the way hers did when she was using Darkness.

"There is no 'us," she snapped, "this is a convenience-based thing. I give you a way to fit in in this world, a roof above your head and food, and you protect me. There does not need to be more to it," Xynox thought it sounded defensive. Neferet looked sort of excited, exhilarated might be a more fitting word. _Huh_, he never thought putting her on top would work.

"Why can't there be?" he asked, obstinately, "you're not a goddess, and Nyx knows I'm not a real vessel. I'm not proposing to you or anything, just suggesting we try. You have enough power to maim me if I fuck this one up, so what do you have to risk?" he sighed, staring into her eyes, as through the answer wuld make itself obvious there.

Neferet narrowed her eyes, "Xynox, how many times within twenty four hours do I need to tell you no?" Neferet demanded, fed up with his insistence. She pasued, knowing that, if she pushed him away too much, he might stay that way. Being lone, mortal, and with formidable enemies was not a wise descision, especially now that she wasn't sure she could trust Dividos. Scratch that—now that she knew she couldn't trust Dividos.

Xynox saw her hesitation, and figured maybe a little… demonstration was in order. He brought her hand to his neck, digging the vampyre-sharp nail into her neck, slicing it into his own neck, wincing ever so slightly as plod poured from the cut, "once more with feeling," he challenged..

Neferet had recently, fed, hell, she'd fed twice tonight, that had to be enough. The smell of Xynox's blood was toying with her self-control. It was a smell that ensnared her senses, taking her captive and whispering promises of more. The red stream flowed from his neck captivatingly, and Neferet hated to admit it, but it was turning her on. Hoping to sate her desires, she licked the rivulet of blood. The taste was an explosion inside her.

"More," Xynox murmured in her ear as she licked the blood that had already begun to run down his neck. He moaned, tipping his head to the side and allowing Neferet access to the gash on his neck that still stung.

Neferet moved to pull back, but Xynox's arm moved behind her head, lightly pushing her head to the slice he'd made with her nail. The moment her lips touched his tainted, darkness-born blood, a burning sensation ripped through her body. It was like burning, destructively good. Xynox clutched onto her head, lacing his hands into her hair. She pressed against him, desperate for some sort of sensation.

Xynox moaned, feeling her press against him and bringing his other hand to her lower back, holding her there. He was trying not to let himself get too carried away, but Neferet couldn't possibly know how difficult it was, how good it felt.

As Xynox's hand snaked its way around Neferet, securing her above him, Neferet licked the cut, not trusting herself when things heated up this far, and lines began to blur. That did nothing for her frustration, but she'd long since learned to keep her desires in check. She got up, thinking getting dressed might help. Dividos' line echoed in her head, "not there, unless you also intend to be my lover,"

Xynox watched as she went to change. He tried to stop himself from wanting to go in there and flooow her. _Not yet, Xynox, _he berated himself, _then, she'd kill you_. He tried not to think about Neferet, or the way she'd made him feel.

_Cyrce_

Cyrce shoved the lesser sending against the wall, his—its—bluish head slamming into the white concrete. "Who sent you?" she demanded, enraged anyone would try to cross her. The thing smiled, revealing a shark-like maw. It produced a gargling sound, and she reluctantly eased up on its neck. Cyrce was damn well tired of these sendings. They were like Old Magick snail-mail, but more deadly. She smirked at the last part, _like_ any mere sending could kill her.

The creature coughed a couple of times before choking out something that sounded like Arista. Or maybe it was Cyrce's over-active imagination. Arista had been a rival to her for a long time, even before—_dammit, Cyrce. Do not think about Death,_ she thought. Arista was just a petty little sprite with enough of an ego for several entities with her amount of magick.

"Tell Arista, or whoever sent you that Cyrce doesn't appreciate their cowardice. If they want to talk to me, tell them I dare them to come to me. You got all that, or do I need to carve it into your flesh?" she demanded. The thing nodded, it's gelatinous flesh bobbing up and down with its head. She dropped it, turning on her stiletto heel. Her feet hurt, but the extra height made her look more daunting. She cursed, finally deciding to take the shoes off and carry them, Darkness lapping at the blood pouring from her blisters. Its chill was quite compatible with her own.

The sending whirled on her, pushing her against the wall, "so you did have a motive?" Cyrce asked it, not waiting until it responded to bring her slender leg up and jam it into the creature, kicking it away. The thing started seeping grey-tinted goop from where her foot had struck it. Cyrce picked her stilettos from where she'd dropped them and smirked at it arrogantly, "I believe the modern phrasing is come at me, bro," she beckoned to it, twirling a shoe in her hand, "let's get this over with quickly, I don't have all day," she added as it hesitated.

The oozing sending ran at her, and she let it almost corner her, before she flipped them again, pressing it against the wall and stabbing it with her shoe. It began to let out a god-awful keening, so she stabbed it again, hoping to find it's heart. Cyrce jabbed at it like it was a pin cushion until she found the spot, neatly burying a shoe in its heart and ducking for cover as it exploded into grey goopy stuff that coated the alley. "Well, I'm going to have to wash that," she muttered as she ran a hand through her goop-covered hair. She looked down to find her body n less coated. "They couldn't have even splurged on an acid-sending?" she muttered.

Cyrce tied the long strands back, wrapping a tendril of Darkness around them, collected her other shoe, strapped it on, and hailed a cab. The cabbie was a little surprised by the scent of sending-slime, not that Cyrce could smell it. Her sense of smell never did return, she supposed it had been destroyed enough times that—_stop, _she commanded her thoughts. "I need to get to the big mansion on fifty-sixth, the decrepit one, got it?" she demanded. Before asking him for any sort of permission, sh sat down in the back seat and looked at him quizzically, daring him to throw her out.

The balding man behind the wheel nodded, driving away. He didn't question, he just drove. Cyrce decided to add him to the select few she wouldn't try to kill. When she ruled this place, silent servitude was what she'd want from her subjects. The drive was relatively silent, except for one instance in which they drove by a warehouse in time to see Neferet and Xynox sitting in Neferet's car. Cyrce whipped out her camera and took a picture of the licence plate (you know what they say about keeping your enemies closer) and managed to overhear something.

"Xynox, Dividos found me, and I was-" Neferet paused, "he gave me a sample of our power, through his blood. By the gods, I didn't know we were imprinted," she sounded frustrated.

Cyrce gasped, wishing she'd recorded the information. Her enemy was _imprinted. _She laughed; Neferet had made this _too easy_. Cyrce just had to get the information to her Master, (the one being she was willing to call 'master') and he would be proud. He might even reward her. She shivered at the thought, more power, maybe even a vessel.

The driver pulled over at the decrepit building Cyrce spoke of. Fifty years ago, it would've been the talk of the town, now it was a burned out shell, perfect for someone trying to fly under the radar. She unlocked the door (A door that she'd had to steal for) and walked into her space. The marble floors were close to immaculate, chipped here and there, and a spiral stair case led all the way up to the fourth floor. The wooden parts, things like the furniture were broken in most cases, but there were tools in the basement. She'd managed to make enough of the things she needed to make the house feel less empty, though they lacked their original grandeur.

The story she'd managed to piece together of the house was that a brutal murder happened in the master bedroom, and legend had it the place was haunted . The brutally murdered man of the house supposedly never left the room. Cyrce slept there, she was yet to encounter anything unsavory.

She slowly ascended the stairwell, approaching her room. In that room, she'd used frost to paint the walls, bidding the silvery-white substance to creep over the original red walls, masking the fiery colour and the blood stains. The sheets were also white, as was everything except the dark wood of the furniture. Cyrce liked light colours; no one could hide in them. She found a light blue sleeveless top and a pair of grey jeans. Stepping out of her sending- slime encrusted clothing; she froze the slime that was still on her body. The cold didn't bother her, as the frozen slime cracked off of her. She dressed quickly, pulling the clothing on as fast as she could. Then, she paced around, until she heard someone enter through the back door. Cyrce raced to the main floor, wondering if she was going to have to steal another door to be able to lock that one. She was done with homeless people slipping into her house.

"I thought you and your buddies knew that-" she began, but she cut off as she saw him. "Oh my darkness," she muttered.

_Neferet_

She checked her email, seeing a message from her producer, saying that Frozen was going to be available Friday, and they were going to meet at 9 pm, sharp. She rolled her eyes at the thought of the producer controlling her, but knew she'd be there. The ability to live _somewhere, _albeit a crowded somewhere was definitely not something she was ready to part with, and Xynox just didn't make enough money on his own to pay for the dwelling. She sighed, wishing she still made as much as the High Council paid her to be a High Priestess.

She decided not to mope any longer, and began frying an egg. She didn't need human food, but Xynox had to eat, particularly if he kept tempting her. Sure enough, the smirking vessel left the room they'd slept in, without a shirt on. Neferet had to admit, he was certainly easy on the eyes, lean, but with muscles, particularly his abs, which looked almost as though he'd painted them on. It was a good thing she'd gotten accustomed to seeing men walk around half clothed.

Xynox came into the kitchen, just as Neferet finished his egg. She flipped it onto a plate, handing it to him, and then drew her nail across her bicep, the tiny, but growing Darkness lapping up the blood there. It felt frigid, inhumanely sharp, but pleasurable. Pleasurable, purely because it meant she was slowly headed back to the place she'd been before, the person she'd been before. That pleased her.

Xynox ate the egg, quickly, thanking Neferet around a mouthful of egg. Neferet rolled her eyes, any attraction he'd been hoping she'd feel abating. She shook her head, dissuading the thoughts. She was not going to see her vessel that way.

"So, what's the plan for today?" asked Xynox, wondering what Neferet was planning, whether she would let him accompany her. He trusted her—sort of—but if Dividos was there, he wasn't going to risk it. He didn't trust the immortal any further than his mortal form could throw him.

"_I _am going to ask a few people if they know anything about Cyrce, particularly since I can't get inside her head," Neferet mused, "I know she'll be back, and I want to know her weakness," she made sure she sounded nonchalant. _It was only just after all, if she knows my weakness, I should know hers, _Neferet thought, determinedly.

"Can I accompany you?" Xynox asked, worried that Dividos was the source of her information. Xynox wasn't sure he could bear any more of that pain, particularly if it hit him while he was in his mortal form. Not to mention the possessive way she made him feel.

Neferet squinted at her vessel, "no. you will be only a liability," she responded, bluntly. She needed time and distance to think, particularly after everything that happened in the last day, "Xynox, I just need to go," she explained, pushing past the vessel and ripping the door of the car open. Neferet sped off, not trusting herself. Xynox was a distraction. He was a great distraction, but a distraction no less, and she had a mission to achieve; her immortality was at stake.

_Cyrce_

"I thought you and your buddies knew that-" she began, but she cut off as she saw him. "Oh my darkness," she muttered, eyes widening. _Calm down, Cyrce_, she thought, _it's not every day an incredibly attractive—I mean a creature of some sort breaks into your house. He may be a sending._

The man—if she could truly call him a man, stood almost as tall as her. His red eyes widened when he heard her voice, startled. They startled Cyrce as well, so human, but so foreign, because of the colour. He had the face of a man, juxtaposed with an obsidian beak that shined wickedly in the moonlight the mansion's skylight allowed to stream in. the bottom half of his face was covered in silky-looking feathers, the same obsidian colour as his beak.

He let out a hiss as she stepped closer, "sssstay away," he warned, his wings flapping madly behind him, a sign of his growing agitation. The wings looked big and strong, not at all like the thin, papery wings Cyrce used to have. Granted, everything about him looked muscular, from his bronzed arms and legs, to his torso, which was covered in the same black feathers as his face. As he moved back, his long hair, lustrous and dark as his wings, swung up, some braided, flowing freely. It was held back by a red and white bandana that looked like it could use some washing; much like the black shorts he wore.

Cyrce raised an eyebrow, quizzically and questioned, "why should I? You're in my house," before taking a step toward the intruder. Her blue eyes lit up a little; she always did find it fun playing with people. She let a tendril of Darkness flick up her exposed arm. He gasped. She smirked, since he could see Darkness the incredibly attractive-ah, the creature might be of use.

The man was shocked, he'd seen Darkness before, seen his father and that accursed vampyre wield it. The fact that the girl was using it as well didn't sit well with him, "I ssssshould just go," he hissed, turning to the door. He had no intention of becoming a servant to yet another overbearing master.

Cyrce flicked her hand, a stream of water shooting from her outstretched palm. It struck the frame of the door, becoming ice, sealing it, "I think not," she remarked, "what is your business here?" she demanded, sliding down the small bannister that accompanied the five stairs that separated them. He stepped back again, pressing against the silvery wall.

"I needed ssssomewhere to go," he admitted, crimson eyes not meeting Cyrce's. That was when Cyrce heard him, from the other end of the house. It was that infuriating immortal, who asked far too many questions. The one who'd wanted to know where _Neferet _was, what _Neferet_ was doing. Why is it everyone wanted to know about the infernal vampyre. She was burned out, as far as Cyrce was concerned... Despite the slashes on Cyrce's face that would beg to differ.

"Balik! Balik, where have you run to this time?" the immortal called, sounding annoyed, as though 'Balik' should be thankful he was even taking the time to search for him. _Arrogant, _Cyrce thought, _he doesn't own the world, and he's going to learn that those who will don't appreciate him disputing their rule._

"Is that you?"Cyrce demanded, intrigued. Maybe this creature would be useful for information. If he was connected to the immortal, maybe he also knew a thing or two about Neferet.

He nodded, "though I haven't ansssswered to _Balik _in a while," he responded, trying to keep the hisses at bay, "pleassse dont sssend me with him," he added, hating the vulnerable tone that had taken on. He was a ravenmocker, damn it, and he wanted some sort of respect. He was done cowering.

_Intriguing._ "Do you happen to know anything about Neferet?" Cyrce asked, hoping he'd say yes. _If not, _she decided, _he can be my maid instead_. The image of him cleaning the house entertained her greatly. She liked the thought of having a maid. Particularly one that looked like him.

He looked around, moving further from the window, then looking up at Cyrce from the corner he'd chosen to sit in, "Father—Kalona used to serve her, by extension, I was her slave. I know a fair amount," he lied, wanting to sound like he could be of use. Maybe the Darkness-wielder would take pity on him, maybe not, but an alliance with her might get him somewhere.

_Kalona_, now Cyrce had the immortal's name as well. _Hmm. _Cyrce gave him a once over, and the spoke, "we'll, I should know who to address you as, then. "I am Cyrce, but I am known for being responsible for the evisceration of old Magick. One of the most wanted entities out there. Death itself took me captive for cheating it, and I clawed my way out," she omitted the way it had frozen her, and the scars it had left, not to mention the _pain_.

"Raider," the man smirked as Kalona's voice became more distant, "prodigal ravenmocker of the fallen Warrior, Kalona."

**Well, I started this may fifth, but then projects and tests and schoolwork got in the way. **


End file.
